First Place:  1

Entry number: 679

Exhibitor: jtj

State: OR

Sheep name/number: Woody

Breed: suffolk cross

In an initial pair of well balanced, muscular, more complete show lamb prospects, I prefer the added thickness, structural correctness and stoutness of construction of 1.  I realize he may be shorter necked and earlier maturing than 2.  However, he is more shapely down his top, deeper twisted and fuller and plumper through the lower third of his leg.  In addition he is wider constructed, bigger boned and as a bonus is much squarer off his hind two and more correct in the set to his hock.

Second Place:  2

Entry number: 709

Exhibitor: CrazySuey

State: CA

Sheep name/number: Pippy

Breed: Hampshire X

Sure, 2 is a long sided, late maturing lamb with lots of extra shag on his legs and excellent side-view shape to his leg. Unfortunately he hocks in, is narrower gauged and lacks the overall power of the class winner.  Still in an easy placing over the poorer balanced 4, he is stronger, straighter, and heavier muscled down his topline, cleaner shouldered, and neater tucked through the floor of his chest.  To compliment this, he ties smoother in the transition from his loin to hip, is more ideal in his condition and simply much better balanced and more structurally correct.

Third Place:  4

Entry number: 768

I’ll be the first to admit that 4 is very shapely and hard muscled, unfortunately he is coarser made, and a little too raw in his condition than the two in the initial pair.  Still he maintains some definite advantages as a prospect when compared to 3 in a bottom pair of more Suffolk influenced lambs.  4 is more juvenile in his appearance, much more expressive in his muscle particularly from the rear.  Most importantly, he reads to be more elevated and square in his rack shape, fresher in his appearance and leveler out of his dock.

Fourth Place:  3

Entry number: 710

No doubt that 3 is a large framed, late maturing wether with some extra shape through the lower third of his leg. Unfortunately he is flat in his rib design and plain and non descript in his muscle pattern.  To add to this he appears to be rough hided and the most mature in his appearance.