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TANJAR is home to Australia’s most established coloured Babydoll Southdown genetics, built through more than a decade of phenotype‑driven selection, accurate record‑keeping, and a commitment to preserving true Babydoll type. Our coloured program began in 2010 and reached a major milestone in 2020 with the achievement of our first purebred coloured Babydoll — the foundation ram Tanjar Buckeye. Six years on, TANJAR is now producing consistent third‑ and fourth‑generation coloured Babydolls that meet both the genotype and phenotype expected of the breed, with colour expressed only as an additional trait, never at the expense of structure, soundness, or recognizable Babydoll character.
Our Coloured program has always been intentionally small and highly selective, with every lamb assessed on structure, temperament, fleece quality, and adherence to true Babydoll type before colour is ever considered. This disciplined approach is the reason TANJAR’s coloured Babydolls now consistently meet both the genotype and phenotype expected of the breed. We do not breed for novelty or volume; instead, we focus on producing sound, correct, recognizable Babydolls that simply express colour as an additional trait. Each generation has strengthened type, predictability, and uniformity, building a coloured line that reflects more than a decade of careful, evidence‑based selection.
TANJAR maintains one of Australia’s strongest and most established coloured Babydoll populations, built through more than a decade of disciplined, phenotype‑first development. Our flock structure reflects both the maturity of our program and the depth of our foundation work. We currently run 11 purebred coloured ewes, Alongside these, we maintain 45 coloured ewes of various grades, ranging from 50% to 93.75% Babydoll genotype. These graded ewes form the backbone of our ongoing development pathway, allowing us to continue refining type, strengthening predictability, and preserving genetic diversity while progressing each line toward purebred status. Why Coloured Breeding Takes Time
Breeding coloured Babydolls is a long‑term, multi‑generation process, and one of the main challenges is that increasing Babydoll percentage requires the use of purebred Babydoll rams or ewes at each step. Because most purebred Babydolls in Australia carry the dominant white pattern gene (Awt), these pairings naturally produce a high proportion of white lambs, even when bred to coloured ewes. This is not a fault in the breeding program — it is simply how the genetics work. Each generation requires careful selection to retain colour while steadily increasing Babydoll genotype, and it can take many years to reach the higher percentages needed for purebred status. This is why developing a true coloured Babydoll line is a slow, disciplined process, often spanning a decade or more, and why only a small number of breeders have achieved consistent coloured Babydoll type in Australia. Black ewes with white lambs
Awt vs Colour Genes — What’s the Difference?
The dominant white pattern gene (Awt) and the true colour genes work independently, but Awt has the power to override whatever colour the sheep genetically carries. Colour genes determine the sheep’s base colour (black‑based or brown‑based), while Awt controls the pattern on top. Because Awt is dominant, it acts like a white “overlay” on the fleece. This means a lamb can inherit colour genes from its coloured parent, yet still be born white if it also inherits Awt from the purebred Babydoll parent. The colour is still present in the genotype — it’s simply hidden under the dominant white pattern. This is why coloured breeding takes time: increasing Babydoll percentage requires using purebred Babydoll rams or ewes, and most purebreds in Australia carry Awt. As a result, many lambs in coloured programs will appear white for several generations, even though the colour genes are being carried forward. Only when a lamb inherits colour genes without Awt does the colour become visible. Black ewes with Black lambs
NEW WEBSITEPlease click on the link below to be taken to our new website dedicated to the coloured Babydoll
www.colouredbabydollsheepaustralia.com |
Tanjar Coloured Babydoll,s
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We are now proudly producing our 3rd/4TH generation from purebred lines, continuing our commitment to quality, consistency, and true Babydoll type.
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Tanjar Buckeye
Purebred
Under current Australian biosecurity regulations, the importation of live sheep, semen, and embryos is tightly restricted. While some sheep breeds appear on the AQIS approved import list, the Babydoll is not, meaning the importation of Babydoll genetics into Australia is prohibited. As a result, the only legitimate pathway for establishing coloured Babydoll lines within Australia is through structured, multi‑generation breeding‑up programs conducted domestically.
This breeding pathway begins by pairing purebred Babydoll sires with coloured ewes of other breeds, then progressively increasing the proportion of Babydoll genetics over successive generations. Across four to five generations, careful selection is required to ensure that each step forward strengthens Babydoll type while retaining the coloured fleece in the developing line. This process demands discipline, accurate record‑keeping, and a strong focus on phenotype to ensure that colour does not compromise the recognized Babydoll standard.
At Tanjar Babydolls™, we are committed to the responsible, long‑term development of the coloured Babydoll within these regulatory constraints. Our breeding focus prioritizes recognized Babydoll characteristics—type, conformation, temperament, fleece quality, and small stature—well before colour is considered.
Only animals that consistently meet these standards progress through the program.
This ensures that our coloured Babydolls reflect the same structural and behavioral qualities expected of the purebred Babydoll, with colour expressed as an additional trait rather than a breeding objective in its own right.
This breeding pathway begins by pairing purebred Babydoll sires with coloured ewes of other breeds, then progressively increasing the proportion of Babydoll genetics over successive generations. Across four to five generations, careful selection is required to ensure that each step forward strengthens Babydoll type while retaining the coloured fleece in the developing line. This process demands discipline, accurate record‑keeping, and a strong focus on phenotype to ensure that colour does not compromise the recognized Babydoll standard.
At Tanjar Babydolls™, we are committed to the responsible, long‑term development of the coloured Babydoll within these regulatory constraints. Our breeding focus prioritizes recognized Babydoll characteristics—type, conformation, temperament, fleece quality, and small stature—well before colour is considered.
Only animals that consistently meet these standards progress through the program.
This ensures that our coloured Babydolls reflect the same structural and behavioral qualities expected of the purebred Babydoll, with colour expressed as an additional trait rather than a breeding objective in its own right.
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Through careful selection of breeding stock that closely reflects the recognised Babydoll breed standard, we have been able to consolidate the key attributes of the purebred Babydoll within our coloured program. This approach has enabled us to produce rams that are consistent in size, type, and conformation with what is expected of a purebred Babydoll ram.
These rams have subsequently achieved interbreed success, providing independent confirmation of the structural quality and breeding integrity of Tanjar Babydolls™. |
Lambs sired by Tanjar Buckeye
Sales Policy for Coloured Stock
At this stage of our program, TANJAR does not offer coloured rams for sale. All coloured rams are retained exclusively for internal use to continue strengthening type, consistency, and genetic depth within our developing coloured lines. We currently offer purebred coloured ewes and wethers only. As our coloured flock continues to expand over the coming years, and once we have secured multiple generations of reliable, uniform type, we plan to make semen from our elite coloured rams available to approved breeders. This approach ensures that the integrity, predictability, and long‑term direction of our coloured Babydoll program remain protected while still supporting the broader development of coloured Babydolls within Australia.
At this stage of our program, TANJAR does not offer coloured rams for sale. All coloured rams are retained exclusively for internal use to continue strengthening type, consistency, and genetic depth within our developing coloured lines. We currently offer purebred coloured ewes and wethers only. As our coloured flock continues to expand over the coming years, and once we have secured multiple generations of reliable, uniform type, we plan to make semen from our elite coloured rams available to approved breeders. This approach ensures that the integrity, predictability, and long‑term direction of our coloured Babydoll program remain protected while still supporting the broader development of coloured Babydolls within Australia.
Coloured Lambs
2019 Coloured Lambs
2020 Coloured Lambs
2021 Coloured Lambs
2022 Coloured Lambs
2023 Coloured Lambs
THE QLD GRADE C RAMS
Tribute to the two rams we sent over to the eastern seaboard in 2018
Foundational Sires of the Tanjar Legacy
Meet two of the rams behind the Tanjar legacy in Australia’s coloured Babydolls. These influential sires played a pivotal role in establishing the Tanjar bloodlines within coloured Babydoll flocks across the country. Selected for their structural correctness, steady temperament, and distinctive colouring, they were instrumental in setting the type and consistency now recognised in Tanjar‑coloured Babydolls.
Each ram contributed unique and valuable genetic traits that shaped the early generations of the coloured Appendix program. Their influence is evident today in the uniformity of type, size, and characteristic markings seen within both the Camare Babydoll and Pukerangi Babydoll lines. Despite each stud’s individual breeding strategies and differing program focus, these sires left a clear and lasting genetic imprint.
Beyond diversifying the developing gene pool, these rams established a reliable and enduring foundation for breeders seeking to continue, strengthen, and refine the coloured Babydoll lines within Australia.
Meet two of the rams behind the Tanjar legacy in Australia’s coloured Babydolls. These influential sires played a pivotal role in establishing the Tanjar bloodlines within coloured Babydoll flocks across the country. Selected for their structural correctness, steady temperament, and distinctive colouring, they were instrumental in setting the type and consistency now recognised in Tanjar‑coloured Babydolls.
Each ram contributed unique and valuable genetic traits that shaped the early generations of the coloured Appendix program. Their influence is evident today in the uniformity of type, size, and characteristic markings seen within both the Camare Babydoll and Pukerangi Babydoll lines. Despite each stud’s individual breeding strategies and differing program focus, these sires left a clear and lasting genetic imprint.
Beyond diversifying the developing gene pool, these rams established a reliable and enduring foundation for breeders seeking to continue, strengthen, and refine the coloured Babydoll lines within Australia.
TANJAR DOUG
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TANJAR SOLOMAN
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TANJAR DOUG
Tanjar Doug was an exceptional young sire, recognized for his rich chocolate coloring, correct conformation, and strong genetic foundation. He displayed the hallmark Tanjar traits, including the distinctive white nose spot and the characteristic inverted “Y” facial marking.
Genetically, Doug carried the potential for both transverse striping and mottling, traits he reliably transmitted to his progeny. He also possessed a unique blue patch in one eye, a rare feature that has contributed to the emergence of blue‑eyed sheep within the Camare flock.
Doug was sired by the Australian‑titled champion Tanjar Little Spot and was line‑bred to Hillgrove 16/09 through his maternal line. His depth of colour, inherited from both his dam and granddam, reinforced his value as a promising and influential coloured sire.
In March 2018, Doug travelled to Camare Babydoll Southdown Stud in Queensland to serve as their future stud ram, where he remained until his passing in December 2025. During his time at Camare, he sired numerous high‑quality offspring, and his influence has played a significant role in lifting the standard of coloured Babydolls across the East Coast. Acknowledgement is due to Jo and Rod of Camare for their strategic pairing of Doug with ewes that complemented his genetics exceptionally well.
Doug remains one of the finest coloured Grade C rams produced at Tanjar and exported to Queensland. Although he is greatly missed, his legacy continues. Several of his granddaughters are expected to return to Western Australia in 2026, allowing his bloodline to be reintroduced into the Tanjar flock and ensuring his impact endures for future generations
Genetically, Doug carried the potential for both transverse striping and mottling, traits he reliably transmitted to his progeny. He also possessed a unique blue patch in one eye, a rare feature that has contributed to the emergence of blue‑eyed sheep within the Camare flock.
Doug was sired by the Australian‑titled champion Tanjar Little Spot and was line‑bred to Hillgrove 16/09 through his maternal line. His depth of colour, inherited from both his dam and granddam, reinforced his value as a promising and influential coloured sire.
In March 2018, Doug travelled to Camare Babydoll Southdown Stud in Queensland to serve as their future stud ram, where he remained until his passing in December 2025. During his time at Camare, he sired numerous high‑quality offspring, and his influence has played a significant role in lifting the standard of coloured Babydolls across the East Coast. Acknowledgement is due to Jo and Rod of Camare for their strategic pairing of Doug with ewes that complemented his genetics exceptionally well.
Doug remains one of the finest coloured Grade C rams produced at Tanjar and exported to Queensland. Although he is greatly missed, his legacy continues. Several of his granddaughters are expected to return to Western Australia in 2026, allowing his bloodline to be reintroduced into the Tanjar flock and ensuring his impact endures for future generations
Tanjar DOUG Offspring
CAMARE Snickerdoodle a Tanjar DOUG Granddaughter
now residing at TANJAR
now residing at TANJAR
TANJAR SOLOMAN
Tanjar Solomon was bred at Tanjar from one of our most valued ewes, Tanjar Badonkadonk, a large, well‑built ewe renowned for her rich chocolate colouring. She had previously been joined to Hillgrove 20/13, a compact ASSBA‑registered Southdown ram purchased from Murray and Judy Peart in Victoria. Hillgrove 20/13 exhibited outstanding Babydoll characteristics, and this pairing had already produced our homebred Champion Ram, Tanjar Mateo.
Given the success of that mating, the pairing was repeated the following year, resulting in the birth of Tanjar Solomon, a large, dark‑chocolate single ram lamb. However, from an early age, Solomon displayed more Dorper‑influenced traits inherited from his grandmother, rather than the classic Babydoll type of his sire. For this reason, he was offered for sale and was promptly acquired by Pukerangi Babydoll Southdown Stud in Queensland.
In October 2018, Solomon—along with three additional Tanjar‑bred sheep—was transported to his new owner, Lorraine Wilkinson of Gregory River. Lorraine held Solomon in high regard and bred extensively from him over the next four years. Following her passing in 2022, the Pukerangi Stud was dissolved, and Solomon, together with the remaining flock, was transferred to Roggolii Stud in New South Wales. Shortly thereafter, the Pukerangi flock was disbanded, and Solomon found his final home at Osbourne Ridge Stud, where he remained until his passing in 2024.
Solomon was widely used at stud, producing a broad range of coloured offspring from both Modern Southdown and Babydoll lines. His genetic influence is now represented across flocks throughout Queensland and New South Wales. Importantly, Solomon carried the rare transverse striping gene through his maternal line, and he has played a significant role in the preservation and dissemination of this distinctive trait within Australia.
Given the success of that mating, the pairing was repeated the following year, resulting in the birth of Tanjar Solomon, a large, dark‑chocolate single ram lamb. However, from an early age, Solomon displayed more Dorper‑influenced traits inherited from his grandmother, rather than the classic Babydoll type of his sire. For this reason, he was offered for sale and was promptly acquired by Pukerangi Babydoll Southdown Stud in Queensland.
In October 2018, Solomon—along with three additional Tanjar‑bred sheep—was transported to his new owner, Lorraine Wilkinson of Gregory River. Lorraine held Solomon in high regard and bred extensively from him over the next four years. Following her passing in 2022, the Pukerangi Stud was dissolved, and Solomon, together with the remaining flock, was transferred to Roggolii Stud in New South Wales. Shortly thereafter, the Pukerangi flock was disbanded, and Solomon found his final home at Osbourne Ridge Stud, where he remained until his passing in 2024.
Solomon was widely used at stud, producing a broad range of coloured offspring from both Modern Southdown and Babydoll lines. His genetic influence is now represented across flocks throughout Queensland and New South Wales. Importantly, Solomon carried the rare transverse striping gene through his maternal line, and he has played a significant role in the preservation and dissemination of this distinctive trait within Australia.
