First Place:  2

Entry number: 902

Exhibitor: babyewe

State: CO

Sheep name/number: E

I opt to start with the best combination of balance, structural correctness, muscle and trimness.  Ideally the class winner could be fuller through the lower third of his leg, nevertheless in comparison to 3 in a top pair of better profiling wethers,  I prefer his smoother shoulders, fuller loin and leveler hip.  As a bonus he more progressively widens and thickens from the front to the rear of his skeleton, is squarer and more elevated over his rack and squarerer out of his upper dock and should rail the highest cutablity carcass.

Second Place:  3

Entry number: 914

Exhibitor: sheepingaround4fun

Sheep name/number: Silverado

Breed: Cross

There is no doubt that 3 is more expressive in his muscle shape, deeper twisted and more powerful through his lower leg.  Unfortunately he is rounder off both ends of this skeleton, narrower racked and dryer and more wrung out over his loin edges so I opt to leave him second. 

In a middle pair of coarser patterened, thick made wethers however, I prefer his leveler hip, more elevated chest floor and more eye appealing look from the side.  In addition the stouter constructed 3 will rail a carcass with a larger leg score and more total pounds of product.

Third Place:  4

Entry number: 927

Sure 4 is just as deep twisted and is fuller just behind his blades in relation to rack shape and dimension, but in reality he is simply too deep in his chest floor, pinched through his heart and off in his dock to compete with the two better balanced wethers in the initial pair. 

With these faults aside, 4 is better pelted, fresher handling and longer loined than 1.  I would predict 4 to harvest a higher percentage hindsaddled carcass with a greater shelf life than 1.

Fourth Place:  1

Entry number: 889

I truly appreciate the amount of muscle draped over 1’s skeleton, unfortunately he is  loose hided, stale and dry in his appearance, drops more from hooks to pins, is more cut up in the flank and appears flat in his stifle on the profile.