Bluefaced leicester Union of North America Scorecard

A Guideline for Judging Bluefaced Leicester Sheep
Applies to “Traditional” White, and Natural Colored Bluefaced Leicesters

The Judging Scorecard is located here:

Total Points: 100

General Appearance (10 Points)

Overall appearance is a proud animal with a bold carriage, purposeful stride and commanding presence. Rams to appear masculine and ewes to appear feminine. Athletic build, neither too light in character, nor overly heavy. Breed type is important.

Condition (10 Points)

Animals should be in working condition, well-muscled and not overly fat or thin; this is a very athletic breed of sheep.

Head and Neck (10 Points)

Head: Broad muzzle, good mouth, Roman nose, alert eyes, long, erect ears with a V-shaped earset. Black nose and lips (dark mottled gray is acceptable). On a white animal, no dark red or dark brown spots/speckles; small black spots are permissible on the face, ears, and neck. On a white animal, the head skin should be dark blue showing through white hair. Both sexes polled.

Neck: Good length, laid into broad shoulders. High neck set. No “dip” in front of the shoulders, at base of neck.

Forequarters (5 Points)

Shoulders: Broad shoulders, well rounded. Shoulder blades close together at withers.

Forelegs: Proper placement in relation to chest and shoulder assembly, correct angles (elbows). Straight, clean/well-shaped, with good bone. Smooth joints. Free of wool below the upper forearm. Black or dark hooves, and no evidence of low pasterns, or other foot faults. On a white animal, no rust-colored hairs, or dark red or dark brown spots/speckles. Small black spots are permissible on the legs.

Body (15 Points)

Chest: Deep and wide, avoiding extremes (too narrow or overly broad chest).

Ribs: Well-sprung barrel; “a good spring of rib.” No extremely narrow heart girth area (“pinched girth”).

Back: Long, strong and level. Smooth topline; no weakness or “dips” (in front of shoulder/base of neck, behind the shoulder, or before the pelvic girdle.)

Wool Cover: Even, consistent fleece on the body. Free of wool on the face, head, neck, legs, and belly.

Hindquarters (10 Points)

Hindquarters should be 1/3 or less in proportion. No extremely straight hindquarter angles from the hip through the hock (“post legged”).

Hips: Level, smooth, and wide apart.

Thighs: Broad and deep.

Hindquarters: Proper placement, wide-apart, correct angles. Straight, clean/well-shaped, with good bone. Smooth joints. Free of wool below the hock. Black or dark hooves, and no evidence of low pasterns, or other foot faults. On a white animal, no rust-colored hairs, or dark red or dark brown spots/speckles. Small black spots are permissible on the legs.

Scrotum: Testicles free of wool, well-developed, and hanging down a distance from the body.

Udder: Udders free of wool, and showing evidence of two good teats.

Wool (40 Points)

As a member of the Leicester breed family, the BFL is classified as a longwool. Though its fleece is typically at the finer end of the longwool range, it exhibits characteristics unique to longwools, most notably staple length and structure.

• Tightly purled, fine, and dense. When parted, it opens cleanly to the skin.
• Semi-lustrous, 56s-60s count, 24-28 microns, staple 3-6 inches long.
• Free of kemp and hair.
• Uniform fleece.
• No distinctive black, red, or brown spots in white wool, on the body of fleece. No distinctive white spots in dark wool, on the body of fleece.

Faults

General: General lack of breed type and character

Stature, Size, Structure: Too small, too fine, too big or tall, over-muscled or too heavy

Structural Faults Overshot or undershot mouth

• Weakness in front of, or behind the shoulder (dips or rough join)
• Lack of good spring in the rib cage or barrel (“slab-sided”)
• Extremely narrow heart girth area (“pinched girth”)
• Extremes in chest width (too narrow, or overly wide)
• Sway back
• Weakness in the pasterns (low or “soft” pasterns)
• Steep/upright foot structure (“club” or “goat foot”), splay foot
• Leg faults (poor placement/angles causing “cow hocks,” “over at the knee,” “knock kneed,” “pigeon toed,” “elbows out,” etc.)
• Knobby or coarse joints
• Extremely straight hindquarter angles from the hip through the hock (“post legged”)

Color Faults

• On a white animal, rust-colored hairs, or dark red or dark brown spots/speckles anywhere on the head, legs, or in the wool on the body
• On a white animal, distinctive black, red, or brown spots in white wool on the body
• On a dark animal, distinctive white spots in dark wool on the body

Wool Cover Faults

• Wool cover where there should be none
• “Peeling” of the main body of fleece