First Place:  2

Entry number: 634

Exhibitor: animalluv34

State: TX

Sheep name/number: Eddie

Breed: Hampshire/Suffolk X

We chose to start with the most balanced eye appealing lamb that best combines muscle and structure.  When compared to the ideal, 2 needs to be fuller through its lower leg.

Nevertheless, when you compare 2 and 3 in the top pair, 2 in the picture appears to have more show ring look.  He is smoother looking through his front end and is leveler and squarer through his upper hip.  

Second Place:  3

Entry number: 769

Exhibitor: EmsoffLambs

State: CA

Sheep name/number: 230

Breed: Suffolk X

Website: www.emsofflivestockcompany.com

Granted 3 is the longest bodied lamb in class, yet we faulted it as it was coarser through his front end and rounder and plainer through the top of his hip.

Now in the middle pair we chose 3 over 4.  3 is the longer bodied, trimmer middled lamb that looks to have a squarer, fuller loin, as he ties better in his hip loin junction.  He too has a fuller squarer look about his dock.

Third Place:  4

Entry number: 770

 4 admittedly is the deepest twisted lamb that has more lower leg than 3.  However we got critical of him as he is coarse in his shoulder, short bodied, pinched in loin and tail head.

Despite these criticisms, we used 4 over 1 in the bottom pair.  4 has the advantage in skeletal width and muscle thickness.  He is the wider made wether that is thicker down his top and more dimensional when viewed from behind.  He should hang the shapelier, more muscular carcass of the two.

Fourth Place:  1

Entry number: 474

Indeed, the smoke colored lamb is really good about his pelt and is trimmer made.  Yet we got critical of him as he not only is a poor balanced, weak topped lamb, but is also the narrowest made, lightest muscled lamb of the four.

Therefore, we placed the class 2, 3, 4, 1, with cuts of 5, 3, 3.