A seven-hour trek paid broad dividends for Tania and Chris King, Shellal stud, Koroit, Vic, who took out the championship ram double in their debut showing.
Both rams were sons of Chandpara 124-15 a ram the Kings bought at the stud's dispersal sale in 2014 along with five foundation ewes to establish their stud.
Judge Daniel Lutz, Updown Suffolk and Loffler Poll Dorset stud, Henty, Vic, described his grand champion as a "stand out" among the 11 head for length, muscle and shape."
The August 2018-drop weighed 98 kilograms with a 46mm eye muscle depth.
"It is real stylish with a lot of presence but still the meat and muscle and shape I was looking for," he said.
For reserve Mr Lutz gave the nod to a heavier muscled ram but also a "very good type" from Shellal.
Mrs King whose family have been breeding Poll Dorsets for more than 50 years said she got into the Southdown breed to extend her passion for sheep breeding.
They are now lambing down 32 ewes
She says the breed is making a "huge comeback" in prime lamb industry, especially among commercial producers in south west Vic.
"They are great as sucker lambs straight off their mums- I think a lot are using them to put over their maidens, with their great conformation and great muscling," Mrs King said.
"With their wool type being so dense you can put them over composite ewes and you get a line of lambs."