First Place:  3

Entry number: 818

Exhibitor: sheepherder007

State: OK

Sheep name/number: Cole Farms 3252

Breed: Hampshire

Website: www.coleclublambs.com

I found 3 to be the most complete ram in the class, especially if you want a ram that will produce lambs with style, balance, and power.  These are the three traits when I view this ram from the profile that I see.  His neck is correctly placed.  He is extremely clean at the points for a power ram and he appears clean in the brisket.  He shows evidence of width through the chest floor and brings this width to the rear.  He has the proper rib shape and has fullness in his rear flank.    Sure, I would like to raise his dock about an inch to completely level his top line.  I  appreciate how the lower leg muscle drops down toward the hock.  He stands correctly on his feet and legs. 

From the rear I’m assuming he is wide over the rack and loin, however, I would like to see a little less roundness in these areas.  He does have tremendous depth of twist with a lot of inner and outer leg muscle.  Just a real nice complete package that matched up correctly with his ewe base should produce competitive lambs.

Second Place:  2

Entry number: 817

Exhibitor: sheepherder007

State: OK

Sheep name/number: Earle

Breed: Shropshire

Website: www.coleclublambs.com

I’m following 3 with a ram almost identical in body type and, if the profile view had been taken at the same as angle as 3’s I believe you could see it even more so. From the profile I believe he slopes off his hip more than 3 and this is a concern.  He possibly is taller than his body length and if that is true, I would pass on him as a ram, however, I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt as I believe this is caused by camera angle. 

I might add, from the rear he appears to be carrying extra condition that takes away from his overall appearance.  However, with his overall width over the rack and loin with added depth of twist and muscle through the lower third, I find him still bringing a lot of positive traits into the breeding program, especially, if you want to breed medium framed power sheep.

Third Place:  1

Entry number: 690

When you look past the frame of the bottom pair, 1 and 4 they are two completely different type yearling rams.  I chose 1 over 4 because of his overall body confirmation and smoothness, especially over the rack, loin, and down the back.  He has extension of neck, is clean in the front, especially at the points and is well balanced.  It might be camera angle, however, he looks short hipped to me with a dock that sits too low. Although he stands correctly on his feet and legs I would like to see more dimension of bone.  For me he is too pinched in the pins, lacks depth of twist and is shallow of muscle in the lower third.  Now, if your ewe base is on the lower side of medium frame with a lot of power I see where  it could work.

Fourth Place:  4

Entry number: 910

I see 4 more of a range ram  prospect than a prospect to produce winning wethers.  I do appreciate his overall size and scale, however, he appears uneven in his top line and  although he has a long hip he is too low in his dock setting.  I also do not see the shape over the rack and loin that I’m looking for in superior sires as I believe he has too much slope over the rack and loin.  Also, the profile does not show as much depth of twist as the rear view and I believe he is too shallow in twist depth and this would have to be corrected through the ewes he is mated to.

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

Now, let’s have a good discussion of the class... OG