First Place:  1

Entry number:  308

Exhibitor:  RyThurston

State:  Maryland

Sheep name/number:  837

Website:  www.thurstonandsnyder.com

I thought lamb 1 was the most complete lamb in the class.  Definitely a power lamb, he exhibits the squareness and thickness over the rack and loin that I am looking for.

He is extremely balanced and level in  his top and bottom lines with a long level hip.  He is clean in the brisket area and appears wide through the chest floor and brings this width all the way back.  I would call him medium frame, however, he is long sided.  Clean at the shoulder point, great neck extension and placement.  From the rear you can see the square dock, depth of twist, and flare through the leg muscle.

Second Place:  4

Entry number:  311

Exhibitor:  RyThurston

State:  Maryland

Sheep name/number:  835

Website:  www.thurstonandsnyder.com

In following lamb 1 with lamb 4 I'm sticking with the same pattern and type.  Although I'm not  completely sure of the smoothness at the hip/loin juncture,  4 is a power lamb, medium framed with a long side that exhibits balance with a long level hip.

Extremely clean in the brisket area, tight at the points, wide through the chest floor and brings the width back.  This lamb has the three dimensional look of squareness and width over the rack, loin, and wide pin set.  Tremendous depth of twist, great inside and outside muscle through the leg, and extremely good through the lower third.  He has great neck extension and placement on top of the shoulder.  Hip/loin juncture looks fine from the rear; slightly pinched from the side and this might be due to a slight arch at the end of the rack and a little full in appearance.

Third Place:  3

Entry number:  310

I'm a sucker for a beautiful lamb on the profile, especially if they have some power to go along with their appearance.  Today, I see this lamb third in this class.  Shown at 130 plus pounds I might see him first.  If he is at least one and a half fingers wide at the pins he will be thick enough for me. He does exhibit a large forearm and I would call him medium plus in his frame.

Of the first three he is the most shallow through the chest, neat through the brisket and excellent at the points.  He's level in his top and bottom lines with a long level hip.  Now, to the question area.  Does he have enough depth of twist and muscularity through the leg, especially the lower third?  To me, that's why he places third today. He does have the neck extension and profile to get this judges attention.

Fourth Place:  2

Entry number:  309

I thought the easiest placing was the bottom pair, 3 and 2.  Although 2 is a nice prospect I do not see the overall potential in this lamb that I do in the other 3.  First, he is off a tad at the shoulder point.  He does not have the balance of the first three, a tad too much depth of shoulder, and looks to taper over the rack and loin with a slight slope off the hip. I would like to raise the dock an inch or two.  He is adequate in depth of twist, however, he might be a little flat through the stifle.

Again, I placed the class 1, 4, 3, 2 with cuts of 1, 2, 5.

A very nice class of lambs that do exhibit a lot of the qualities we are looking for in a modern day wether class and they should do well hanging on the rail.  If you do not see the class as I did do not get excited.  Personal opinion does enter into  the selection process and it should.  After the initial cost is covered the remainder is going to be about the same and you should feel comfortable with what you are tying up your money, time, and effort in.