First Place:  2

Entry number:  202

Exhibitor:  MM/CaliforniaDreaming

State:  CA

Sheep name/number:  Petey

Breed:  Crossbred

Now, for the top pair.  I really like 2 from the profile.  She is extremely well balanced with a straight top and bottom line.  I'm just guessing because you can't really tell from the angle of the photo,  but I'm betting she is wide and square over the top and loin with deep loin edges.  She is long and level in the hip,  and square through the dock, with excellent depth of twist.  She presents a lot of muscle through the stifle and lower third.  She might be a little too round at the point of the shoulder and she may be a little too full in the brisket; I can't really tell with the handlers left leg covering up the front. 

Second Place:  4

Entry number:  271

Exhibitor:  whitewether1518

Sheep name/number:  Cordera

Breed:  Hampshire

I believe the two ewes most similar are 2 and 4.  From the profile, 2 does have an edge over 4.  (Showmanship is the ability to make an animal look it's best and too me the handler of 2 sure gets the edge over the handler of 4.)  4 looks to be off in the neck placement.  She does appear to have a big square top (rack) and she looks correct over the loin.  she doesn't appear to be as long hipped as 2 and not as level.  She does have tremendous depth of twist with superior inside and outside (stifle) muscle.  She doesn't appear as long-sided as 2, however I believe she does belong in the top pair.

Third Place:  3

Entry number:  211

That leaves number 3.  3 is level in the top and bottom lines but from the side she appears to have too much depth of front.  This makes her out of balance.  However, she does have more visible muscle over the rack and loin and is deeper in the twist and thicker through the stifle than 1.  1 does have the advantage in cleanness of front, so do I take profile and neatness through the shoulder over muscle?  That's where personal opinion comes to play.  I'm taking muscle so I will go with 3 for third.

Fourth Place:  1

Entry number:  089

If we talk about cleanness of front end the 1 ewe is by far the cleanest in this area.  On the blocking stand she is also the prettiest on the profile of any of the three.  With that said let me tell you what I would like to change about this ewe.  From the rear view looking over the rack and then going down the loin I would like to see her thicker and more square.  She is just too narrow in these areas for me. She also looks to be sloping over the loin and she is shallow in the twist and too flat through the stifle.  For these reasons I'm dropping her to the bottom of the class.

For these reasons I see the class placing 2, 4, 3, 1 with cuts of 2, 3, 1.  If you see it different you will not get any argument from me.