Dohnes set to impress at Australian Sheep and Wool Show

By Julia Wythes ACM 11 July 2023

Dohnes are set to make a big splash at this year’s Australian Sheep and Wool Show.

But that is only the beginning – next year Dohnes will be the feature breed at the huge Bendigo event, and organisers are already preparing for a big showing.

Organiser John Nadin, Macquarie Dohne stud, Ballimore, says Dohnes will be strutting their stuff in the impressive Dohne marquee at Bendigo on July 14 to 16 this year.

The dual-purpose breed will be showing once again why the breed excels not only in producing beautiful wool and meat, but also when it comes to maternal and fertility traits.

He said showing hasn’t always been a huge focus for the breed.

“We’re not really a showing breed – we have been more about performance than the showring,” he said.

But after the Global Dohne Conference in 2016, showing became more of a priority at Bendigo.

This year there will be 104 Dohne entries in the showring, with three studs from both NSW and Victoria competing.

There will also be 27 fleeces to compete.

But the line-up of Dohnes will show in front of some very impressive judges from across the globe.

Along with Nutrien’s Steve Chalmers, the judges will include South African Andries Pienaar and Argentinian Maggie Lahore, Ethical Outback Wool. Western Australian Dohne president Rachel Browne will also be judging.

A delegation of 19 Uruguayan Dohne breeders will be in attendance to watch the judging. In addition, six Dohne studs will be hosting displays at the event.

The Australian Dohne Association will hold its AGM at Bendigo.

But Mr Nadin said the breed’s presence at Bendigo hasn’t just been about showing the huge benefits of the dual-purpose breed – it has also been about education.

Breeders take the opportunity to teach school students from Moama High School and Longerenong College about sheep and wool.

“The students come and learn from Dohne producers about Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs), objective and subjective traits, and and about sheep judging,” he said.

Mr Nadin said it was crucial to get more young people interested in sheep and wool. “This is what the industry needs,” he said.

Mr Nadin said Dohne producers were gearing up for next year’s feature breed event, where they expect more studs from South Australia and Western Australia, as well as from those in Victoria and NSW.

“There will be 12 or 13 studs showing next year at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. There will be a pretty big roll-up.”

The Dohne marquee at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show includes displays, sheep and wool judging.