Prospect/Feeder Lambs
Judge: Vance Christie
Judging Contest Winners:
Under 15: William peters
15-18: Jakerichardson
Over 18: john morlan, Martin12
Note: This class is set up to demonstrate what a buyer might find when looking at lamb from a single breeder. Therefore, all of the ewes are presented by DonD1 of MN.
Official Placing: 4-2-3-1
Cuts: 3-2-4
In this class of siblings, I like them 4-2-3-1 with cuts of 3-2-4. Don expressed the difficulty he had setting these lambs up, as most of us hate to take baby pictures, however if you break it down to fundamentals for looking for prospects, the most problem free rises to the top, with some give and take in the middle and a logical bottom.
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First Place: 4
Entry number: 1140 Exhibitor: DonD1 State: MN Sheep name/number: 13248 Breed: Hampshire |
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4 simply best combines, structural correctness and muscle into the most correct package at this stage of maturity. Ideally the class winner could be shallower chested with a better neck set, but a lot of that is probably due to her fighting the stand. In comparison to 2, she is more relaxed in her spine and ties from her loin smoother into a bigger, flatter hip. In addition she spreads the most mass across her rack, loin and the plane of her stifle, making her the one I would most like to put on feed.
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Second Place: 2
Entry number: 1138 Exhibitor: DonD1 State: MN Sheep name/number: 13245 Breed: Hampshire |
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Some may prefer the added expressiveness of muscle shape in the wether, but in the photos, he is rougher down his topline and drops significantly more than the ewe lamb that starts the class, so I opt to leave him second. Still in a close middle pair, 2 is cleaner shouldered, more elevated through the floor of his chest and still more nearly level out of his dock. As a bonus his added muscle expression right behind his blades and through the center of his leg allows me to believe he may be prone to be a firmer harder handling lamb at his endpoint.
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Third Place: 3
Entry number: 1139 |
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Not to take anything away from the wide stout constructed ewe lamb that I leave third, but personally I would like to see her more elegant fronted and better out of her hip to compete with the top two. But on the other hand, she seperates herself from the remaining wether more handily. 3 is definitely tighter hided, thicker ended and squarer standing than 1. Her added base width and muscle mass make her a better market lamb prospect, and possibly the best potential brood ewe in the class.
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Fourth Place: 1
Entry number: 1137 Exhibitor: DonD1 State: MN Sheep name/number: 13831 Breed: Hampshire |
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1 very well may be the longest necked, cleanest fronted lamb in class, however from the photos we get, he is also the lightest muscled, roundest hipped lamb that is green in his condition. To add to this he needs to be better pelted and truer off of his hind two to move up in this grouping. Please note that these lambs were tough to get photos of. There appears to be some differences in condition that could change their appearance considerably when on separate feeding programs, yet they are all above average in thickness and power. I appreciate Don submitting this class, understand his frustration with trying to get baby photos, and am sure if you disagree with me, he would love to have you come by and look at them in person!
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