First Place:  2

Entry number: 866

State: TX

Breed: Medium wool

2 is easily the best balanced most, complete of the class.  I’ll be the first to admit from the photo angles he does not appear to be the widest based or thickest ended in the class.  However, the pounds heavier, longer sided wether is  more ideal in his finish, squarer and fresher over his rack and loin, and better in his rib design than 3.  In addition he is deeper twisted and bigger forearmed, and I would predict him to rail a higher cutablity carcass that would yield more pounds of the higher priced cuts.

Second Place:  3

Entry number: 869

Exhibitor: Heresheep

State: CA

Sheep name/number: 1005

Breed: Hampshire X

Website: www.threesisterssheep.com

Some may prefer the added base width and plumper upper leg in 3.  Unfortunately he is softer middled, heavier conditioned and appears to be more mature in his rack shape.  Still I opt to use his balance and structural advantages over the dark fibered wether in a contrasting middle pair.  3 is shallower chested and cleaner at the point of his shoulders and progressively widens and deepens from front to rear.  Consequently he appears to a higher performing more efficient wether that looks  more natural in his presentation.

Third Place:  4

Entry number: 799

Sure the blue pelted wether is trimmer made and more expressive over his rack, yet is too deep fronted and pulled in his flank for me to use any higher than 3rd.  On the other hand though, he is much more shapely and expressive down his topline, firmer in his condition and has more circumference of center leg.  Without a doubt, he should harvest a higher percentage of bonless closely trimmed retail cuts than 4.

Fourth Place:  4

Entry number: 877