Poll Dorsets dominated this year’s Dubbo Show Prime Lamb hoof and hook competition taking the lion’s share of awards.

In a dominant display for the breed, Poll Dorset-sired lambs were awarded first place in both the trade and export weight classes and second in the heavy export weights on the hoof, champion sucker entry, champion pen on the hoof and then went on to win champion and reserve champion awards on the hook as well as champion pens of trade, export and heavy export lambs on the hook.

In the trade lamb section, Gooramma Poll Dorsets from Galong, NSW, won the best pen on the hook, backing up their win on the hoof, with their lambs scoring 91.2 points. It was enough to earn them reserve champion pen of lambs overall.

In the export section, Ridgehaven Poll Dorsets at Cudal, NSW, won the best pen of export lambs, scoring 84.7 points.

And in the heavy export class, it was the winning team from Suntop Pastoral at Wellington, NSW, that not only took out the champion on the hook for this section but the overall champion hook pen with an impressive score of 92.8 points.

Suntop Pastoral runs a small breeding operation buying merino ewes and breeding Poll dorset cross lambs.

Owner Jim White said flock numbers varied between 500 – 1000 ewes depending on the season and other enterprises. While the operation is mostly livestock, there is also some cropping mainly for hay and grain to use within their own program. Alongside the commercial sheep, Suntop also runs a Shorthorn stud and have recently established a small Poll Dorset stud.

Rams are sourced from the Williams family of Ashburnia Poll Dorsets at Orange, NSW, as well as from Rory Ryan of Gillmore Poll Dorsets in previous years.

“Last year, we were lucky enough to purchase a selection of ewes and a stud ram from Ashburnia as well as a handful of ewes out of the Ridgehaven ram sale,” Mr White said.

“These have been the foundation of our Suntop Poll Dorset Stud.”

Mr White said he always selected rams based on their phenotype, looking for depth, length and width.

“We select rams with enough growth and leg to get our lambs out to heavy export weights, but making sure they are well proportioned so you have the sucker option of sale if the season permits,” he said.

“Raw data is also a great tool that I use both in the sheep and cattle game to really see what an individual animal is doing when comparing him to his contemporary group.”

The champion pen of lambs were May – June  2025-drop and had been fed a ration of wheat, lupins and a buffer pellet

They had been fed in a feedlot, built earlier in 2026  as a way to add value to the program when necessary. Most lambs are sold over the hooks.

The 10 lambs for the competition were selected by Mr White and his partner Grace from a line of about 350, and were chosen for shape, length and depth. Closer to the show, the entries were selected by weight and evenness.

Their commercial operation has focused on a heavier animal in recent years.

“Our lambs have finished on a grain ration either in the feedlot or on lucerne based pastures,” Mr White said.

“If the season has had an early break, there is a possibility of suckers however most of the time our lambs have been shorn and grown out.”

Mr White said while the win was rewarding, there were greater benefits to entering the competition.

“The kill data on the lambs is what’s most important to us, although winning the competition is a humbling achievement,” he said.

“Knowing that our ram selection, conditions and finishing rations are all working together to create some great results is what matters most in the real world and tying it all back to the overall profitability of the enterprise.”

Mr White said he was very grateful to be able to be a part of such a well run event like the Dubbo Prime Lamb Hoof  and Hook Competition.

“The committee and all the sponsors do an amazing job all while raising a considerable amount of funds for various charities each year,” he said.

This year, the auction of price lambs generated $115,000, bringing the total over the past 11 years to $476,000 which is donated to local charities. 

For the record the Suntop lambs posted the following results:

• • liveweight – 69.8 kilograms
  • dressed weight – 37.9 kilograms
  • Eye muscle area – 26.9
  • dressing percentage  – 54  per cent
  • intramuscular fat – 8.2