Hillden Poll Dorsets at Bannister has clocked up a third consecutive win of the supreme exhibit title of the NSW Dorset Championships at Cowra. The cherry on top of their 50 year stud celebrations, Brian, Lorraine and James Frost of Hillden showed 15 sheep and won a number of ribbons, including most successful exhibitor.

But it was their Hillden 652-19 ram that created excitement, winning the junior and grand champion ram sash before going all the way to be selected as the Bromar NSW supreme exhibit. Sired by the reserve junior champion Australasian ram in Hillden 860-17, he was an August 2019-drop ram out of Hillden 151-17, and weighed 135 kilograms.

Judged by Brayden Gilmore of Baringa Sheep Studs, Oberon, the ram section had around 70 head from across the state vying for the top title. The Frost family's supreme exhibit was described as the most complete Poll Dorset ram judge Mr Gilmore has been able to oversee.

"For a young sire he has the shape in the hind leg, and the overall balance and type I was chasing," Mr Gilmore said. “I see a big future ahead of him."

This supreme win marks the third consecutive year of receiving the top-title, with the previous two times being awarded to Hillden ewes. Hillden also won senior champion ram with Hillden 110-19, who was the supreme short wool exhibit of the 2020 Royal Canberra Show. He was by Hillden 860-17 and out of Hillden 224-17 who boasts a supreme exhibit win at Cowra, and supreme prime lamb exhibit at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Bendigo. Retaining the ram for stud use, the Frosts will collect semen that will be for sale in the future.

Champion intermediate ram went to the Rowley family, Springwaters Poll Dorset stud, Boroowa, with their exhibit Springwaters 434-19 who the won the ram born after June 1, performance ram, class. A son of Springwaters Pocock 66-16, who won the supreme exhibit title of the 2017 NSW Dorset Championships, Springwaters 434-19 was also the intermediate performance class winner and Stockscan champion on 68 points. Springwaters also took home reserve senior champion ram with Springwaters 23-19, who is a son of Springwaters 310-14.

Reserve champion intermediate ram went to Hillden 484-19, another son of Hillden 860-17. Max and Coral Douglas and family of Abelene Park Poll Dorsets, Woolomin, received reserve junior champion ram. Junior performance ram went to Hillden 230-19, while senior performance ram went to Springwaters 462-19. The Hillden stud won the group of three rams class and the sire's progeny group with a team of rams by the Hillden 860-17 ram. Springwaters was second in the sire's progeny with their team of Pocock 66-16 progeny. Thurlstone won the group of one ram, two ewes and were second in the group of three rams. Mt Bathurst was second in the group of one ram, two ewes.

The Close family of Closeup Poll Dorsets, Finley, took top honours in the ewe section of the NSW Dorset Championships, with stand-out ewe Closeup 7/19. Described as an extremely well-balanced, smooth structured ewe by judge Brayden Gilmore of Baringa Sheep Studs, Oberon, the ewe was commended for how she paraded herself. She was the class winner of the ewe under 1.5 years shorn, not more than 2cm of wool class, and was one of the two ewes shown by the stud at the Cowra event. By a Graythorn ram out of a Closeup homebred ewe, the lovely soft ewe is no stranger to success previously winning grand champion Poll Dorset ewe at the Royal Canberra Show earlier in the year.

Reserve champion ewe went to Valley Vista 223/20, exhibited by the Scott family of Valley Vista Poll Dorset stud, Coolac. Sired by Valley Vista 59/18 and out of the Valley Vista 206/16 ewe, she was the winner of the ewe lamb dropped after April 1 class. Judge Brayden Gilmore said it was a big call to give a ewe lamb a champion sash, but he found it hard to fault the reserve winner. "Not often do you see a ewe lamb come out and compete but she had the balance, type and femininity I was looking for," Mr Gilmore said.