Rocky returns to reclaim title

The mark of a true champion is if he loses, that he fights back to reclaim his title. Sound familiar? This is the remake of the Rocky script: Virginia Show style.

Rocky the ram from Murmod was Champion Charolais in 2023, but lost out last year.

"I'm delighted he came back this year." says Pat Erickson, who is proud to be in Rocky's corner.  "I've got great lambs from him - fantastic lambs."

"The ram who beat him last year was a better ram, no question about it," Pat says magnanimously. "I was happy he was beat as it raises the bar, and if the bar's raised you have to jump it."

Rocky cleared the bar easily.

"He's looking really well this year," he says of the three and a half year old.

To get Rocky set for a photo his owner has to wrestle the heavyweight champ into position. That's a fair amount of wrestling, given his sheer bulk.

Asked what the judge would have liked about Rocky, Pat says: "He'd have liked the length and he has great width across the chest here.

"You'll find it hard to get a ram with a better back end than that one. A great back end," he says lamenting how no-one ever takes a photo of the back end of a sheep.

"Think of a leg of lamb - that's the leg you'll get. You need muscle there," Pat says, urging this reporter to feel the muscle.

The Celt can confirm, Rocky has a great back end.

So what's the future hold for Rocky?

"I'll breed with him this year and I may or may not sell him at the end of the breeding season this year because I have lambs of his coming on."

And what are you getting at the factory.

"The price we're getting at the factory is unreal," he cheerfully reports, "and long may it last.

"But we still don't get enough!" laughs Pat.