First Place:  4

Entry number: 1010

Exhibitor: EmsoffLambs

State: CA

Sheep name/number: Ellerbrock black 168

Breed: Hampshire

Website: www.emsofflivestockcompany.com

4 dominates the class in regards to stoutness of construction and overall muscularity. The distortion of the profile picture might make you question her hip-loin juncture and forearm, however based on the lines in the rear photo, she is balanced and smooth enough to start the class. She appears to have more bloom and shape to her rack, is a little further along in her conditioning, and much more expressive in her muscle shape. Most importantly she is shallow hearted, round ribbed and deep flanked, and as a bonus pulled apart in her pins and fuller through the lower 1/3 of her leg. I would certainly predict her to produce better designed heavier muscled offspring if comparably mated.

Second Place:  1

Entry number: 963

Exhibitor: CSUSheepGoat

State: CA

Sheep name/number: A138

Breed: Crossbred

Website: www.chicostatesheepgoat.com

1 may arguably be the deepest ribbed highest volume ewe, unfortunately she is not as clean fronted or heavy legged as our class winner so she makes a logical leader for the middle pair. In comparison to 2 her more natural fill and levelness of underline provides her the edge needed to improve her rank. The rough shorn ewe is more opened up over her rack and loin and appears to have more natural width at her dock. The biggest separating factor however is her added base width and stability in her hock that allows me to believe she would be a more productive ewe with a greater longevity within the flock.

Third Place:  2

Entry number: 1007
State: AR
Sheep name/number: 1203
Breed: Crossbred
Website: www.cgfarms.homestead.com

I’ll be the first to admit that 2 is more shapely in her muscle pattern, however when it comes to true skeletal dimension, base width and fullness and flatness of dock, I have a hard time seeing it. Still she excels in all of these areas over 3. She has more turn and curvature to her rib, is deeper flanked, fuller racked and has much more turn to her outside leg and should be a more valuable breeding piece as well as excel in the show ring.

Fourth Place:  3

Entry number: 1009

I realize that 3 is probably the most juvenile ewe in the class and that the long dock detracts from her profile somewhat, but she is still the tightest ribbed, frailest designed lamb of the class that gets too deep in her chest floor, high in her flank, weak over her loin edge and light legged. Thus she would be the least productive in the flock or show ring alike so she is last.