THE Royal Adelaide Show champion's ribbon for their Corriedale ram - one of 50 to survive devastating bushfires earlier this year - was bittersweet reward for Peter Baker and son Shane, Loddon Park, Baringhup, Vic.
The blaze destroyed 162 hectares and decimated their stud flock.
Only one of the Bakers' stud ewes - from 150 - was rescued.
They lost 78 years of Corriedale bloodlines.
Luckily, their lambs had been weaned six weeks earlier and were safe in another paddock - and the 2013 Adelaide champion ram, at 15 months, was one them.
He weighed 112.5 kilograms with 11 millimetres of fat, had an eye muscle depth of 42 millimetres and wool measuring 30.1 micron.
Earlier this year, the ram won reserve junior ram at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo, Vic.
In 2001, the ram's great, great grandfather, The Manager, also won champion ram at the RAS.
Judge Georgina Pengilley, Glen Esk, Conara, Tas, was impressed with the champion.
"He had a big, solid frame and was well-covered with beautiful, soft wool," she said
"He has a magnificent frame and a strong boned head."
Reserve champion ram went to Jan and Tony Hunt, Wye, Mount Gambier.
The Hunts also won champion ewe.
Dr Pengilley described the ewe lineup as "lovely".
"The champion ewe was a big, upstanding female with good depth in her hindquarters," she said.
"She had beautiful, soft handling fleece down her shoulder, rump and leg.
"I couldn't fault her."
While Mrs Hunt has been showing Corriedales since 1992, she has been involved with exhibiting at the RAS for much longer with her father (the late TW Paternoster) a longtime exhibitor of Ayrshire dairy cattle and Ryeland sheep.
* Full report in Stock Journal, September 12 issue, 2013.
