The Australasian Dorset Championships is planning to return to Bendigo in the last week of August for the first time since 2019.

The event’s sale has been hosted online-only for the past two years due to Covid-19, but all going well the show and auction will be held in person at the Prince of Wale Showgrounds this year.

Chair of the event Robert Grieves, Hillend stud, Clarkes Hill, Vic, said while planning was still underway, there were plenty of exciting new things on the schedule.

“We are still in the planning process, but we will have extra classes, including LambPlan classes we haven’t had before, and we are trying to cater for all Poll Dorset breeders,” he said.

“Everyone seems keen to get back into it and we are looking at having a live auction as well as offering rams online again.”

The event will run from Friday August 26 to Sunday August 28, with Chris Marr of Gererdan stud at Gooloogong, NSW, adjudicating.

There will also be an associate judge for the Poll Dorset ewe and the Dorset Horn classes.

The WFI sponsored Champion of Champions ram contest will also return, with sheep from a range of eligible shows across the country competing for the $3000 prize.

This year the ewes will also get a go, with a $1500 prize for the winner, with competitors being drawn from the same shows as the rams.

Mr Grieves said the new ewe competition would hopefully give breeders an extra incentive to show more females this year.

Last year the Australasian Dorset Championships held their annual ram sale online, selling 22 of 29 lots for an average of $7102.

The top priced ram was offered by Rangeview stud, Pipers River, Tasmania, and sold to South Australian stud Mullinger Park for $23,250.