Courtesy of Fiona Myers, Weekly Times

Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who started his own stud at 15, young Sam Williams is already making big moves in the industry.

A passion for sheep breeding has started early for Sam Williams, who at just 13 already has his own Poll Dorset stud.

And there are big dreams ahead for the young breeder from Culcairn, NSW, who wants to be one of the leading studs in Australia.

Breeding sheep is in his genetics, and so, too, is starting young.

Sam’s grandfather, Laurie Thompson, started the Gartlee Dorset stud at Myrniong at just 15, running them on his parent’s dairy farm.

The Gartlee Poll Dorset stud was sold before Sam found his passion for breeding sheep, but he managed to track down some of the genetics bred by his grandfather to establish his own venture.

He now has 60 ewes and two rams, and plans to keep expanding.

His parents Marita and Rod Williams are not novices to the sheep world but are amazed at his ability to look at any of his sheep and be able to tell their breeding.

“Sam can see a lamb running up the race and tell us who its mother is, its sire and its breeding,” Marita said.

“While other kids might be looking at their phone, Sam is reading pedigree Poll Dorset books.”

Sam recently won the junior judging at the southwest NSW Poll Dorset Youth Day and as part of his prize, will be an associate judge at the Australasian Poll Dorset Championships Show and Sale on August 26-28

Sam has plans to show his own sheep “to display and respect the breed” but is just as happy pottering about with them, taking pride in their performance at home.

“I want to have one of the leading studs in the industry and be successful and have fun,” he said.