First Place:  4

Entry number: 540

Exhibitor: Natalie

Sheep name/number: Cortez

Breed: Wether sired

I am going to start the class with 4 as he is the levelest, squarest out of his dock and cleanest through his shoulder and breast.  From the look we get in the picture, he appears to be a little out in his hock and down in his pasterns.  Still, when compared to 1 in the initial pair, he is tucked neater through the floor of his chest, is smoother at the point of his shoulder, and is better balanced on the profile due to his shallower fore-rib.  In addition, he is much longer and flatter out of his dock and appears to be wider and fuller through his upper dock.  As a bonus, he is the trimmest lamb of the four that should rail a higher cutability, more shapely carcass.

Second Place:  1

Entry number: 444

Exhibitor: Bpsheep

State: AZ

Sheep name/number: 0126

Breed: Hampshire X

1 certainly appears to have more shape and elevation to his rack and plumpness to the center and lower portion of his leg, unfortunately he is extremely short and steep hipped and pinches at his hip loin junction.  With these faults aside, he is trimmer and nearer ideal in his finish, longer loined and wider based than 3.  Just as important, he is a longer sided, pounds heavier sheep that should harvest a carcass with more lbs. of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts.

Third Place:  3

Entry number: 531

3 certainly appears to have a lot of width and thickness, unfortunately most of that added width is coming from the extra condition he is carrying.  Yet in comparison to 2 in the bottom pair, he is thinner necked and ties better into a sharper cleaner shoulder.  3 has a nicer turn to his ribcage, is fuller docked and deeper twisted.  Due to his lack of bulk through his shoulder and chest and carrying less fill, he should hang a higher dressing carcass with less waste than 2.

Fourth Place:  2

Entry number: 522

2 is a wider based, thick made lamb that appears to be longer loined and hindsaddled, however he lacks the style and balance of the three that place ahead of him.  He is also the most mature about his rib shape and drops more out of his dock.

Therefore I like the market lambs 4, 1, 3, 2 with cuts of 3, 3, 2.