Penni Loffhagen was just pleased to break the Southdown dominance of the meat sheep classes.
The Hawarden farmer won supreme champion meat sheep with her Suffolk ram at the Canterbury A&P Show last week.
The ram, which was bred by John Miles at his Coleford stud at Lyndhurst, went on to be chosen as supreme champion animal of the show.
Ms Loffhagen said it was the first time a ram from her Tawhai Stud had won supreme champion meat sheep, a section which had been dominated in recent years by Southdown sheep, with Blenheim farmer Christina Jordan winning the past three years in a row.
''This is huge for the Suffolk,'' said the Northern South Island Suffolk Breeders president. ''I am really into moving the breed forward, so this sort of success certainly helps get some recognition.
''I like the Suffolk. They are a very attractive sheep and a very meaty sheep. They have good conformation of meat and longevity. That's what we breed to - it's got to last.''
To help give the breed a boost, Ms Loffhagen has recently set up a website for the Suffolk breed. She said she was also particularly ''honoured'' to win the Frank O'Reilly Trophy, for the supreme champion meat sheep, as she knew the former stock agent.
She farms 500 Suffolk ewes and grazes cattle on a 260ha dryland farm, near Hawarden, and said the Suffolk was suited to the property.
Ms Loffhagen was a third-generation stud breeder, following in the footsteps of her grandparents Tug and Margaret Burrows and her parents Marty and Anne Loffhagen, who had bred Romneys, South Suffolks, English Leicesters and half-breeds.
She said she started breeding Suffolks in 1989 with encouragement from her parents. Paul Gardner, of Ashburton, took overall honours in the Mint Lamb competition with his Texel lamb. Entries were were judged for best overall yield before being tender-tested at Lincoln University and then taste-tested at the Canterbury A&P Show.
Darfield's Cam Bray, from PGG Wrightson, was named as the best young auctioneer in the country after he impressed judges at the Heartland Bank young auctioneer competition. Tristan Gordon, of Dannevirke, was a close second.
The Dakins Ambassador of the Year was awarded to Arnold van Asch, who has been a member of the Canterbury A&P Association and exhibiting his South Devon cattle for 45 years.
The ambassador award honours a competitor who has been seen to support the ideals of the association. The 2014 show legend, recognising volunteer effort, was awarded to Kelvyn Scott, in recognition of his 16 years on the shearing committee and the past 10 years as chairman.
Trade exhibitor of the year awards were also given out, with Urban Paving taking the supreme champion title.
- By David Hill