First Place:  4

Entry number: 776

Exhibitor: TheDad1

State: MN

Sheep name/number: Drewry10364

Breed: Hampshire X

Website: my.pclink.com/~ddrewry/index.htm

I chose to start the class with 4, granting from the picture 3 is the most balanced. However, to me, 4 is the most complete ewe of the class. I chose length with adequate muscle over thickness, but, average length. I believe 4 would not appear to slope over the loin if she had not been pulled as hard.  I noticed the long neck setting properly on top of the shoulder.  She appears clean at the points,wide through the chest floor, and, brings the width back, however, I would appreciate her more if she was a tad wider through the pins and if she exhibited a little more evidence of muscle, especially through the stifle. She does have a huge forearm and that usually suggest a massive rack.  True, she cuts up a little in the rear flank, however, if she had not been pulled as hard and had a little more fill, I believe this area would be sufficient.  She sure has the bone dimension that I want in a brood ewe.

Second Place:  3

Entry number: 775

Exhibitor: TheDad1

State: MN

Sheep name/number: Drewry10519

Breed: Cross

Website: my.pclink.com/~ddrewry/index.htm

In placing 3 second in the class I went with a ewe lamb that exhibits a lot of natural thickness.  She is sure level in both her top and bottom lines and is extremely well balanced.  From the side I would appreciate her more with a little less front end depth, however, sometimes to get that big square hip and leg you have to have a little shoulder depth.  She definetely has the desired rib shape and appears to have a big flat wide expressive rack and loin that excites me. From the rear she has excellent pin placement, depth of twist, and tremendous muscle. If you saw her first in the class I can certainly understand your reasoning.

Third Place:  1

Entry number: 712

I believe the largest framed sheep in the class,1, fits nicely in the third slot.  She is extremely correct in her front and exhibits a lot of length in both her top and bottom lines. I would like to raise her dock a couple of inches and if I could it would certainly level her hip.  At the same time, from the rear, I would like to square her up through the pins with added width in this area.  I certainly would like to add depth to her shallow twist and I would like to increase the dimension of muscle through her stifle, which appears flat sided.  I do believe she can make a good brood ewe if bred to a structurally correct power type ram.

Fourth Place:  2

Entry number: 771

To those of you who saw 2 placing any where but last in the class, it's going to cost you some points. 2 has the most structure problems of any sheep in the class. From the profile the first thing I notice is the low neck placement.  This is a defect that is hard to correct through breeding.  I also notice from the profile the extended breastplate.  This trait also is hard to correct on the ram side.  Although she has a long hip she really slopes from hooks to pins.  A real level Hamp ram can help this problem, but he cannot correct it in the first progeny. From the rear she is shallow in depth of twist with average muscle.

Again, I placed the class 4, 3, 1, 2 with cuts of 1, 3, 5 .

I hope each of you had a great Christmas and are excited about the new year.  My one wish would be  for a nation that could experience true peace with compasion, and not hate for our fellow man.