First Place:  3

Entry number:  105

Exhibitor:  classic1112

State:  OH

Sheep name/number:  Athena

Breed:  Natural

Starting this class with the lamb with the most overall balance of extension, muscle, and desirable pattern, I choose the alignment 3, 4, 2, 1 in this class of prospect lambs.  While 3 could be more square out her dock and is not the most muscular lamb in the class, she wins this prospect class for her length of body, extension and cleaner front and her apparent future growth potential. 

3 is particularly more extended in her lines than the 4 lamb. 

Second Place:  4

Entry number:  106

Exhibitor:  classic1112

State:  OH

Sheep name/number:  416

Breed:  Brockle

Admittedly the 4 lamb appears to be wider structured for its size, but 4 is the smallest patterned lamb in the class that appears to be closest to ideal market weight already.  I expect 4 would have the least potential to gain more lean muscle mass at higher weights.

Still in a middle pair of shorter framed sheep, I preferred the width of structure and smoother hip-loin junction of 4 over 2. 

Third Place:  2

Entry number:  099

2 may actually have more growth potential for a prospect class, but is a narrower topped lamb that needs more width through the rump to compete in this middle pair.

Still in an easier bottom decision 2 places over 1 for her advantages in length of body, muscle, smoothness of front and overall pattern.

Fourth Place:  1

Entry number:  084

The 1 lamb easily falls to the bottom of this class.  While it is one of the longer cannoned lambs, it is one of the shorter sided lambs that is not attractively presented, with a protruding abdomen and needs more width and dimension of muscle when viewed from the side and behind through the leg and rump and it is also showing the least circumference of forearm.  1 also is the least desirable with a protruding breast bone and fine bone.