What makes a champion sheep?

A champion sheep is one that stands out from the crowd for both judge and spectators. When the sheep go into the ring one of the first tings the judge will look for is any sign of illness or injury. The judge will want to see a well presented animal, he/she will also will look for unique features of that particular breed. This can include whether the tail is docked or not, and characteristic markings of the breed. For example the zwartble (a breed native to the Netherlands) should have two to four white socks, blazes should be uninterrupted and reasonably straight. These may be any width and may continue under the chin, but not into the wool. The white blaze should run from the crown of the head and may include the muzzle. The judge will look at the body shape and conformation of the animal. The shape of the head, muscule development and size and how the sheep stands in front of the judge are all of importance. The role of the handler can also come into play. They can make their sheep stand out in preparation for the show ring by making sure the sheep have a clean fleece and in trimming the sheep should look wide and balanced. Good feeding and nurture will show through in a well prepared and developed sheep. In the ring the exhibitor will show the animal to best effect, making the animal show its full body length. The sheep should also stand square and straight. The judge will look for a good mouth with an even bite, (rather than an undershot jaw where the upper jaw is too long and overshot jaw where the lower jaw is too long). Ultimately the judge will be rating the sheep by which one they would choose to buy. The animal should have good straight legs and have a good frame and the exhibiter should show good width by widening the back legs. This shows the judge a good standing sheep with good muscle in the backend. The animal should not have hocks too close together (cow hocks) or a weak pastern. The animal should have a good firm fleece which will be evaluated by the fitness, colour, covering and purity.

Judges normally start looking from the rump of the animal forwards noticing the breed features , quality of the fleece, depth and width at the back of the animal and that the rear legs that have a good angle at the hocks. For rams the judge looks for deep, wide and thick legs, then good muscle expression in the rear quarter. At the front of the animal there should be evidence of the breed character such as straight forelegs and deep and wide through the chest. If it’s a ram the judge will also look for good muscular forearm and width over the shoulder. Then from the side the judge will would look for balance, size and scale, long body, and characteristic features of the breed. The exhibitor should also be well presented on show day! He or she should dress up smart for the class and is required to wear a white coat when showing the animal.