First Place:  3

Entry number:  468

Exhibitor:  dustydivider

State:  CA

Sheep name/number:  Samantha

Breed:  Hampshire X

3 is the ewe that best combines structural correctness, balance and muscle.  I’ll be the first to admit that she is not as long sided as the two in the middle pair.  However, in comparison to 2, she is straighter in her lines, wider based and more nearly level out of her dock.  In addition, she is wider and flatter in her loin and is much wider in her pin set.  3 is best in her rib design and dropped more in her flank, and as a bonus, she is the heaviest muscled stoutest constructed ewe.

Second Place:  2

Entry number:  465

Exhibitor:  shootingstar

State:  TX

Sheep name/number:  #2

Breed:  Hampshire X

Website:  www.shootingstarshowlambs.com

Some may prefer the added length and extension of 2, however she is rough down her top and gets narrower at her loin and in her pins than the class winner.  Still I prefer her added length and flatness of dock and longer more elegant neck and front end over the blue tinted ewe in a close middle pair.  2 is more upfronted, longer from blade to dock and a longer, higher % hind-saddled female that should get better in her rib and flank as she puts on more condition. 

Third Place:  1

Entry number:  452

Sure, 1 is a cool fronted, expressively muscled ewe, that has a more desirable set to her hock, however she pinches at her hip-loin juncture and rolls off of a shorter hip, therefore she is third.  With these faults aside,  I use her added muscularity and depth of flank to place her over the obvious bottom-4. 1 is simply a better balanced higher quality ewe.  The dark fibered ewe is thicker over her rack and loin, deeper twisted and plumper through the center of her leg. 

Fourth Place:  4

Entry number:  471

4 is a bold ribbed, capacious ewe, but that is where her advantages end.  In reality, she is the poorest balanced lightest muscled ewe that lacks the quality of the 3 above her.  More specifically, she is the shortest necked, deepest fronted lamb that funnels to her lower leg so she is last.