Shropshire Breed Judging Guide

Shropshire Breed Judging Guide

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American Shropshire Registry Association, Inc. Judging Standard Priority of Judging 1. Soundness 2. Carcass Quality 3. Breed Character 4. General Appearance 5. Size SOUNDNESS – 30 points Structural Correctness a. Strong and straight topline. b. Rib long and well sprung. c. Hips wide and smooth. d. Rump long, level and wide to dock. e. Sound mouth.

Sound feet and legs a. Strong and correctly set. b. Upright pasterns. c. Forelegs straight and strong. d. Good bone.

Carcass Quality – 25 points a. Loin broad, long and well-muscled. b. Lean, well-muscled carcass. c. Leg full, deep and well-muscled. d. Forearm well-muscled.

Breed Character – 25 points Head a. Naturally clean dark face (not jet black), gray nose not objectionable. b. No sign of horns. c. White wool, covering the whole poll. d. Nose straight, masculine on rams, feminine on ewes. e. Straight or slightly dished face. f. Eyes bright and alert.

Ears Alert and well set, thin to moderate thickness, medium length, color same as face and legs.

Neck Proportional, with clean throat, fitting into the shoulders in graceful lines.

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__________________________________ American Shropshire Registry Association

Legs Strong and correctly set with substance of bone, upright pasterns. Light colored wool below the hock and knees (not black wool).

Skin and wool Pale skin covered with dense, fine quality wool of good staple.

Body Well fleshed, long, deep and symmetrical. A broad, straight back with well-sprung ribs. Rump – quarters long and wide, dock well set on and leg full and deep.

General Appearance – 10 points Alert, attractive and stylish appearance running level to uphill with a clean breast tying into the neckline. Shoulders blending smoothly into the ribs and into the neckline. Good abdominal girth with a high chest floor, strong and straight back with adequate body capacity.

Size – 10 points Medium sized, appropriate to age of animal.

Slick Shearing It is required that all Shropshire sheep be exhibited slick shorn. Slick shorn is defined as being shorn completely to the hide within five days of the show date. The wool may be left from the rear hock down and the front knees down plus the wool cap defined as from the ears and poll forward. All belly wool must be shorn off and divots in the hock area must be sheared out.

Discriminations Black fiber, wool blindness, bare bellies, or coarse wool on breech.

Excessive white on face, throat and legs.

Excessive wool-free areas around vulva, udder or scrotum.

Ears thick-skinned, coarse or excessively long or drooping.

Coarse or Roman nose.

Obesity or lack of thrift.

Stubs or scurs.

Lack of wool cap, jet black face or leg color.

Black arm pits, lack of wool below hocks and knees.

Spots on face, throat, ears or legs.

Wrinkled hide.

Disqualifications Horns Over or under shot jaw.

Severely splayed hooves.

Very weak pasterns.

Severely post-legged or sickle hocked.

Evidence of existing or surgically altered faults such as inverted eyelids, hernia, prolapse, abnormal sexual organs.

Hides that are black, blue or gray.

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Shropshire Breed Character Score card In an effort to promote better breed character this score card can be used as a guide to help inform members and judges.

These pictures provide a range from good to poor with a score corresponding to the image in five different areas. All images with a five or better are considered acceptable breed character.

These include: 1. Heads

10 points

2. Nose shape

10 points

3. Color

10 points

4. Ears

10 points

5. Leg cover

10 points

Total score of:

50-37 Excellent

37-25 Good

24-13 Below average

12-0

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Poor

__________________________________ American Shropshire Registry Association

HEADS Head short and broad; wide between the ears and between the eyes; short from top of head to tip of nose; ears short, of medium size; eyes expressive; head should be well covered with wool to a point even with the eyes, without any appearance of horns; Objections: Horns disqualify, white face disqualifies, head with prominent bones, bare on top of head.

“Taken from the 1885 points of interests”

Score 9 Score 10 if better

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Heads – Score 8

Heads – Score 7

Heads – Score 6

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Heads – Score 5

__________________________________ American Shropshire Registry Association

Heads – Score 4

Heads – Score 3

Heads – Score 2

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Heads – Score 1 Score 0 if worse

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Nose Shape Nose straight, masculine on rams, feminine on ewes.

Straight or slightly dished face. Eyes bright and alert.

Score 9 Score 10 if better

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__________________________________ American Shropshire Registry Association

Nose – Score 8

Nose – Score 7

Nose – Score 6

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Nose – Score 5

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Nose Long – Score 4

Nose Too Long – Score 3

Nose Roman – Score 2

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Nose – Score 1 “Too Roman” Score 0 if worse __________________________________

American Shropshire Registry Association

COLOR Naturally clean dark face (not jet black), gray nose not objectionable.

No sign of horns. White wool, covering the whole poll.

Score 9 Score 10 if better

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Color – Score 8

Color – Score 7

Color – Score 6

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Color – Score 5 Too open faced

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Color Too Light – Score 4

Color Dark – Score 3

Color Too Dark – Score 2

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Color – Score 1 Too dark Score 0 if darker

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EARS Alert and well set, thin to moderate thickness, medium to short length, color same as face and legs.

Score 9 Score 10 if better

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__________________________________ American Shropshire Registry Association

Ears – Score 8

Ears – Score 7

Ears – Score 6

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Ears – Score 5

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Ears – Score 4 Long ears

Ears – Score 3 Too long

Ears – Score 2 Too long & droopy

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Ears – Score 1 Too long,droopy & thick Score 0 if worse __________________________________

American Shropshire Registry Association

LEG COVER Strong and correctly set with substance of bone, upright pasterns.

Light colored wool below hock and knees (not black wool).

Score 9 Score 10 if better

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Leg Cover Score 8

Leg Cover Score 7

Leg Cover Score 6

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Leg Cover – Score 5

__________________________________ American Shropshire Registry Association

Leg Cover – Score 4 Bare

Leg Cover – Score 3 Too bare

Leg Cover – Score 2 Too bare and weak pasterns

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Leg Cover – Score 1 Score 0 if barer

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~ Notes ~

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Shropshire Breed Character Booklet compiled by The American Shropshire Registry Association’s Board of Directors Spring 2023

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Publication printed by The Shropshire Voice Publisher Rinda Maddox,The Sidell Reporter __________________________________ American Shropshire Registry Association