Instructions
Approach the sheep from the front, so it knows you are there. Ensure that the animal is standing securely, with all four feet on the ground.
Place the fingers of your hand together, so they become one flat object. Do this with the other hand as well.
Set your hands, still in the flattened position, on the front end of the animal, moving slowly to the back. Balance your hand lightly on the sheep, enough to feel the cut of its hair, but not pressing it to the body.
Keep the pressure in the bulbs of the fingers, between the tips and the palm, while examining the sheep. This will give a more accurate reading of the animal's musculature.
Open your hands wide behind the shoulders to measure the front ribs. Continue to run your hands toward the rear of the animal.
Span the length between the last rib and the back hip to see how long the loin is. Proceed to the rump of the animal and hold your hand flat on top of the two hips, examining to see if they are parallel to the ground and even.
Press the tips of your fingers on the inside of the sheep's leg. Place your thumbs on the opposing side and pinch lightly between to see how much flesh is there.
Remove your hands and repeat the same process, in the same manner, on every other sheep to be judged. This allows for uniformity in the judging process.
How to Handle a Sheep When Judging
Judging sheep can be a tense job, especially when the hopes of so many entrants are riding on your decision. Sheep contests and shows, common in many rural communities and through 4-H clubs, attract the best animals from an area to be compared -- from the quality of the coat to the stance of its body. Due to the importance of a final decision, a good judge must know how to handle the sheep and be consistent in examining each animal.