The spotlight will be on Suffolks as the the feature breed, with additional classes and prizes set to celebrate the unique breed that has been proven for more than 200 years.
Andrew Lakin, from Allanwood Suffolks in Lancefield, is particularly excited to showcase the breed — and hopefully back up last year’s Melbourne Royal success, which saw him take out Supreme Suffolk with a ewe with two lambs at foot.
The 27-year-old has been attending Melbourne Royal since before he could walk, watching on from the pram as his parents exhibited their Clydesdales.
Mr Lakin has been showing sheep at Melbourne since he was eight, but with Suffolks taking centre stage, it’s set to be a particularly special one for him.
“I’m extremely keen for Suffolks to be featured, personally it’s my first show showing Suffolks when they’re a feature breed so I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.
“Suffolks are a really hardy breed, adaptable to any condition, great on the prime lamb side of things and they yield exceptionally well, so I’m looking forward to sharing them with the public.”
Mr Lakin will have a team of 14 Suffolk sheep in the ring and will be busily shearing and preparing the sheep to be in tip top shape in the weeks leading up to the show.
With more than $25,000 in cash, prizes and trophies to be won, the Melbourne Royal Sheep Competition sees the presentation of a number of prestigious awards.
Finley High School took out the coveted Interbreed Champion Ram at last year’s show and will be returning this year off the back of a strong performance at the recent NSW Poll Dorset Championships in Cowra, NSW, where they won Reserve Champion Ewe.
“The school stud has been operating for 21 years and it’s always great to benchmark against the bigger studs, so we’re so certainly looking forward to the Melbourne Royal Show,” agriculture teacher Robyn O’Leary said.
Entries for the Melbourne Royal Sheep Competition close on Thursday, August 10.
For more information, visit: https://www.melbourneroyal.com.au/sheep/
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