Boy Helps Keep Old Sheep Breed Alive

By Emily Middleton

ABC Central West

Sheep Farming

Monday, 6 July 2026, at 7:16 am

Mitch Dickens breeds Hampshire Down sheep. He started when he was eight years old.

In short:

Old sheep breeds in Australia are in danger because not many people breed them.

But Mitch Dickens' farm is helping to keep one of these old breeds alive.

What's next?

These sheep are important for Australia's sheep in the future.

Mitch likes Hampshire Down sheep because they are strong and easy to care for.

Mitch and his family started a farm for Hampshire Down sheep in Yeoval, New South Wales.

Mitch has a sheep named Puddin'.

Mitch's farm started when he was eight years old.

Mitch's mom, Amy, says Mitch is very good at remembering things.

Carrying on old sheep breeds

About half of Australia's sheep come from old breeds.

Mitch had his first Hampshire Down lambs in 2023.

These old breeds were brought to Australia from the UK a long time ago.

If we lose these old breeds, Australia's sheep might not be as healthy.

There are ten old sheep breeds in Australia.

Hampshire Down sheep are one of these old breeds.

Hampshire Down sheep were first bred in England as meat sheep.

Mitch's mom thinks it's important to keep old breeds alive.

Keeping old breeds alive helps with breeding new sheep.

Mitch made a logo for his farm.

Mitch buys rams from other farms to breed with his sheep.

Mitch wants his sheep to be strong and healthy.

An outcross is when you breed sheep from the same breed but different families.

Mitch wants his sheep to have new traits.

Mitch wants his female sheep to be small and his male sheep to be big.

Need to breed

Colin Chapman thinks old breeds are important because of their good traits.

Categorizing lambs is important for breeding.

Old breeds can help with new traits like better meat quality.

Some old breeds can be used to make new traits in sheep.

Dorset Horns are an old breed of sheep.

If we lose old breeds, it's hard to get them back.

Freezing genetics

Evan Wright has been breeding Dorset Horns for over 60 years.

Evan says a lot has changed in the sheep breeding business.

All Poll Dorsets come from Dorset Horns.

Evan Wright has been breeding Dorset Horns for a long time.

Evan is trying to save the Dorset Horn breed.

Evan stores sheep semen to preserve the breed.

Evan tries to keep the breed diverse so it doesn't disappear.

But Evan says it's hard to save the breed because not many people are breeding them.

Evan hopes young people will start breeding old sheep breeds.

ABC Rural news daily

Monday, 6 July 2026, at 7:16 am

Monday, 6 July 2026, at 11:02 am

See more ABC news

Promotion

Praticar Escuta