First Place:  4

Entry number: 1416

Exhibitor: DonD1

State: MN

Sheep name/number: 14725

Breed: Hampshire

Website: www.drewryclublambs.com

Between the two more powerfully constructed ewes, I prefer the added maternal look found in 4. She is a more moderately designed female who is stouter in her skeletal build. She is more opened up in her foundation and works a bolder forerib. Due to the extra turn to her ribcage, from the side she is neater about the floor of her chest. I am a fan of how she progressively deepens back to her center body and flank, thus giving us a more maternal wedge shape. Her shoulder is laid back at a more appropriate angle, and her neck attaches higher at the top of her blade.

Second Place:  3

Entry number: 1403

Exhibitor: lilieannaewe

State: FL

Sheep name/number: 289

Breed: Suffolk X

Now I can see where some may switch this pair in favor of 3. When compared back to our class winner, she is a larger statured, later maturing female who comes longer through her front third and leveler out of her hip. She does study to be more powerful through the center portion of her leg as well. However, for me she gets rougher in her outline. She is straighter through her shoulder, deeper in her chest, rougher about her loin edge, and frailer in her bonework. I would definitely like to rearrange her underline, as she progressively shallows up from the base of her chest back to her flank. 3 also shows to close up in her lower skeleton as you study her from behind. I would also like to see her set her rear leg down more squarely at the ground. Even so, she still stays an easy second in this class.

Of our remaining females, three overwhelms her counterpart3 with her combination of size, depth, and power. She is the larger, late maturing female, who is the heaviest muscled, and works the most center body depth. Though she is not perfect from the side, she stills designs up well to remain at the top of the remaining trio.

Third Place:  1

Entry number: 1328

In a close bottom pair of ewes who both need to be powered up a touch, I still prefer the added look and design of the Hampshire appearing 1 ewe. I’m not going to lie, she is the lightest muscled ewe in the class. But for me, her skeleton is organized more correctly to give her a more dynamic view from the side. She is long and feminine about her head and neck, smoother shouldered, more elevated through her chest floor, and offers a more attractive set to her hind leg. She is stouter in her foot and bone size, as well as deeper through her center body, and softer about her rear flank.

Fourth Place:  2

Entry number: 1329

Of our bottom pair of ewes, 2 does have the muscle advantage of the pair. However, I study her from the side in relation to the one that stands ahead of her and she gets deeper hearted, coarser about her shoulder, and frailer in her skeletal makeup. She wants to cut up in her rear flank, and shows to have a notch too much set to her rear leg. So for me, I leave her to round out my class.