X factor seen in Waikoikoi sheep

West Otago farmer Blair Robertson knew his romney and southdown rams had the X factor.

But would the judges?

They scrutinised them one by one, from head to tail, checking out how they ranked against the many other sheep breeds at the Gore A&P Show on Waitangi Day while interested bystanders sheltered under a nearby tree.

Despite the competition being hotly contested, Mr Robertson came out on top, winning the wool breed section with his romney ram and then the meat breeds with his southdown ram.

He then went on to win the supreme sheep of the show with his romney ram, while his southdown ram was runner-up.

Mr Robertson, thrilled with his hat-trick after winning the meat and wool breeds sections last year, said his rams had the X factor.

"They've got meat in all the right places," he said.

Mr Robertson, who farms at Waikoikoi, exhibits only sheep at the Gore A&P show.

"It's the best sheep show south of Christchurch," he said.

Mr Robertson took 56 sheep to the show and picked up many other accolades including supreme champion romney ewe and supreme champion southdown ram hogget.

The weather didn't disappoint for this year's show but, unfortunately, trade exhibits were down by at least half because of the Southern Field Days being held this week.

The supreme animal of the show was Tronnoco Golwyn June, a 3-year-old holstein friesian cow, owned by the Chilton family of Spurhead.

The cow had just returned from dairy week in Feilding, where she won the holstein friesian intermediate championship.

Luke Instone, of Inch Clutha, won both the Southland Herdsperson of the Year title, with Tim and Katy Button's heifer Anglo Snowbell, and the Craig Morton memorial shield.

Luke had earlier won the Otago Herdsperson of the Year at the Taieri A&P Show.

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