First Place:  4

Entry number:  209

Exhibitor:  chadam

State:  WA

Breed:  Suffolk X

Although I did not find a complete lamb in the class, I thought the number 4 ewe lamb  was the most balanced lamb in the class.  I would call her medium frame.  From the profile she is clean in the brisket and correct at the point of shoulder.  I thought she was off just a tad in the neck placement, however not enough to drop down in class.  Long and level in her top and bottom lines, I would not want her any deeper through the front.  She appears to have adequate bone and sound feet and legs.  From the rear she appears to be wide over the rack and loin and long and level in the hip for her breed.  She appears to be wide in the pin set with excellent depth of twist and she demonstrates a lot of inside and outside muscle through the leg.

Second Place:  2

Entry number:  169

Exhibitor:  2TLivestock

State:  NE

Sheep name/number:  Fish

Breed:  Suffolk

I placed 2 second and over 1 for the following reasons, pointing out that both of these lambs have major flaws.  I would call 2 on the plus side of medium frame and I would place 1 on the negative side of medium frame. 

2 has a major defect in that her neck set is too low.  In a breeding class this would really be discriminated against, however this is market.  I also thought 2 was a little deep fronted and this takes away from the balance that I like to see in a complete lamb. 

Now to the reasons I placed 2 over 1:  height and length.  2 appears to be as wide over the rack and loin as 1, however I would say she is at least 2 inches longer in length of hip.  2 appears to be as deep in the twist and with as much lower leg muscle as 1.  In a live class I might switch this placing, however, the arch over the back, the slope over the loin, and the point of the shoulder that is a little too rounded  prevents me from using 1 any higher in the class.

Third Place:  1

Entry number:  163

In comparing 1 to 3 you have two lambs completely different in type.  3 has the frame (height and length) but 1 has the muscle.  I chose to go with muscle. 

Fourth Place:  3

Entry number:  200

I would criticize 3 for sloping off the hip.  Also, 3 appears to be sloping over the rack and loin.  These are two areas very critical when I am judging.  I would sure give the edge to 3 on profile due to the arched back of 1, however the short sloping hip detracts from 3.  I also thought 3 was a tad shallow in bone.

For these reasons I placed this class 4, 2, 1, 3 with cuts of 3, 2, 3.