Wairarapa sheep win showdown

Alfredton farmer Simon McKay has a shot at prizes to the value of $10,000 after winning the Composite Breed section and Ravensdown Large Flock Award in the New Zealand Ewe Hogget Competition.
Mr McKay won the awards with his coopworth kelso dam and coopworth texel sire hogget, giving him a chance at winning the big prize later this month.
"We haven't entered before, so we were a bit surprised, but we've got some good sheep," he said. "This first time was a good benchmark. We wanted to see where we're at."
The New Zealand Sheep Breeders Association travelled the country last week visiting 23 finalists, narrowed down from nearly 200 nationwide, judging hoggets conformation, loins, meat, wool, production and breeding programmes.
Judges visited Mr McKay's 880ha farm and judged 1200 of his 1500 sheep.
From survival to sale, he said they aim for at least 140 per cent in fertility ewes and at least 80 per cent in hogget, which means mating all hoggets all year round.
"The main focus of our stock is to get high meat yielding, high fertility maternal cross. We have wool in mind, but it's not the full focus."
One of the winners of the breed sections including crossbreed, coopworth, composite, romney, fine wools and perendale will win the overall award for the best hogget at the National Ewe Hogget Presentation Evening in Christchurch on May 26.