Astute buying paid off for Christina Jordan from Willowhaugh Stud in Blenheim. A two-year-old Southdown ram she bought for $8500 in Christchurch last January was the supreme champion meat breed sheep.
Jordan said the ram bred by Waimate farmer Chris Medlicott had been the best ram at the Canterbury A & P Association’s Stud Ram and Ewe Fair and this was backed by its win in the show ring.
“We bought him because he was the best sheep at the ram sale. He’s so structurally sound with great muscling and we have a lot of lambs on the ground from him now after he went to 90 ewes last year.”
Jordan said winning at the show was still an adrenaline buzz especially at the 150th anniversary show and despite previous successes.
The Blenheim breeder won the same title last year with a Southdown ewe and again previously with the ewe’s mother to make it three wins in a row.
Full Southdown Results:
Judge(s): Blair Robertson, Gore
Scott Innes, Warkworth – Associate Judge
Brian Hayman, Rangiora & David Wylie, Ashburton – Merial Alliance Class
Ram, over 18 months, shorn. (7): Jordan I M & C A 1, Jordan I M & C A 2, Christey A C & L K 3.
Alliance NZ Ltd Ram, under 18 months, shorn. (21): Williams P G, F C & B R , Maclean Donald M 1, Jordan I M & C A 2, Jordan I M & C A 3.
Alliance NZ Ltd & Merial Ancare Quality Meat Yield Class, two Rams, (13): Gillespie A D 1, Jordan I M & C A 2, Gill R E & J 3.
Champion Southdown Ram : I M & C A Jordan.
John Deans Southdown Sheep Terrine Canterbury A&P Association trophy awarded to John Deans in 1884 : I M & C A Jordan.
Reserve Champion Southdown Ram : Donald M Maclean.
Ewe, over 30 months, shorn, and her suckling lamb(s). (8): Jordan I M & C A 1, Jordan I M & C A 2, Christey A C & L K 3.
Ewe, 18 to 30 months, shorn and her suckling lamb(s). (9): Jordan I M & C A 1, Williams P G, F C & B R 2, Jordan I M & C A 3.
Essential Nutrition Ewe, under 18 months, shorn. (15): Williams P G, F C & B R 1, Williams P G, F C & B R 2, Medlicott Chris J 3, Medlicott Chris J 4.
Allflex NZ Ltd Pair of Ewes, under 18 months, shorn. (9) Jordan I M & C A 1, Christey A C & L K 2, Brannigan S W 3.
Champion Southdown Ewe : I M & C A Jordan.
Jarman Cup – Perpetual Trophy awarded to Champion Southdown Ewe: Jordan I M & C A.
Reserve Champion Southdown Ewe : I M & C A Jordan.
Supreme Champion Southdown : I M & C A Jordan.
James Deans Challenge Shield – Most Points Southdown Section. : I M & C A Jordan.