First Place:  3

Entry number: 500

Exhibitor: Sheepherder#007

State: OK

Sheep name/number: 422-08

Breed: Hampshire

Website: www.coleclublambs.com

I'm starting the class with 3.  I realize he is the most fitted ram of the class and apparently just sold through a sale.  Also, a couple of rams, 2 and 4, are pictured in their working clothes. I do see some good things in all four of the rams and they all bring different pieces to the breeding table, however, I believe ram 3 used on ewes that complement him will produce the most acceptable club lambs of the four.

One really has to appreciate the extremely clean shallow front on this ram.  He is very correct in neck placement and clean at the shoulder points and he appears to be wide in the chest floor.  He brings this width all the way back.  He is extended from flank to flank and has the rib shape we are looking for.  I believe he is wide and flat enough over the rack and to get them this clean in the front it would be hard to have him in wider in this area.  He is both long and level in his top lines. I would like to raise his dock setting just a tad.  He is full in the twist and his greatest width is through the center of the leg and this is where it should be.  I would like to see a little more depth of lower leg muscle and I would like to see him stand on a little more bone.

Second Place:  2

Entry number: 484

Exhibitor: Agrlambman

State: NM

Sheep name/number: Ali

Breed: Blackface

2 appears to be the power type ram of the class.  From the profile he appears to be long sided and he does have a long extended neck, however, I would like to see him a little longer in the canon bone to give him needed overall height. Since he is really full I believe that is where the slight arch in the back comes from.  He is balanced and he does have the rib and flank fullness we desire today.  He may be the longest and most level in the hip of the four rams in the class.  I notice from the profile he carries the lower leg muscle down toward the hock and he stands on a lot of bone. From the rear he appears to be a little pinched behind the shoulder and, again, this may be due to his extreme fullness.  He may have a slight slope to the loin, again, I really can't tell from the picture.  He is wide and square through the pins and has the lower leg muscle we are looking for.   It is hard to compare him to 3 because they are opposite in type and style and 3 does get the style points in this class.

Third Place:  4

Entry number: 637

It is hard to compare the bottom pair, 4 and 1, because they are completely opposite in type.  I'm placing 4 third because he is sure more my type than 1.  Because he is the smallest in frame, he is probably the youngest ram in the class. From the profile I sure appreciate the extended neck that is placed correctly on top of the shoulder.   He too is full and this is probably the cause of the slight arch in the back.  One thing I would like to do is lengthen him in the hip.  Although he is level, he does appear to be short hipped. He is really balanced, clean in the brisket and appears correct at the points.  From the rear, he does appear wide and flat over the loin.  Although he is square through the dock I would like to see more lower leg.

Fourth Place:  1

Entry number: 479

The Suffolk ram placing fourth appears to be the largest, oldest ram in the class.  Although he does show balance he has too much depth of shoulder for my taste.  This would not be a problem if he is bred to extremely clean fronted ewes. He is just average in neck length, but, does appear to be long sided.  He does have correct rib shape and he appears to be long and level in his hip.  From the rear I would like to see more depth of twist and I would like to see a larger inside leg that carries down lower toward the hock.

I haven't mentioned testicular development, but, he is the most developed of the four which, again, would suggest to me he is the oldest of the yearling rams and I would assume the picture was made before the beginning of breeding season.

Again, I see a lot of variations in type in all four rams and I believe all  four would work in various breeding programs, depending on the body type of the female they are to be bred to.

Again, I placed the class 3, 2, 4, 1 with cuts of 3, 2, 1.