APPEARANCE AND BODY CONDITION

(Excerpted from American Romney handbook, published by the American Romney Breeders Association, copyright 1995)

1. General. Romney sheep should exhibit the essential qualities found in all good meat sheep. They should be sturdy animals with a strong bone structure, and balanced, capacious bodies. Romneys should have a strong constitution, the ability to adapt to varying environments, and a uniform fleece characteristic of the breed. Emphasis should be on an animal of large capacity, exhibiting strong breed type, perfect balance and alertness. The Association insists that the improvement of the breed come from within the purebred confines of the breed itself.

2. Head and Neck. A desirable animal has a relatively broad face, large clear eyes, and alert, thick felted ears. White Romneys may have minor black spots on the ears. The head should be carried high and be level between the ears. Nostrils should be black or dark, mottled gray. Pink noses should be discriminated against. The neck should join smoothly with the shoulders. The poll should be free of horns and hair.

3. Top Line. The back should be straight with smooth blending from the neck and ending at a square rump.

4. Legs. Front legs should be straight and wide-set. Rear legs should have a slight natural curve from a side view, and be straight and wide spread from a rear view. Pasterns should be strong and upright. An otherwise good sheep should not be disqualified if the hooves exhibit some light color, although black is desirable.

5. Udder or Scrotum. Ewes should have well-formed, even udders with two good teats. Rams should have two large, even, well-developed testicles.

FLEECE

(Excerpted from American Romney handbook, published by the American Romney Breeders Association, copyright 1995)

1. General. The character and architecture of a Romney fleece is unique in the way it combines several important traits. The fleece should be dense and free-opening, with well-defined crimp and a yearly staple length of five inches or more.

2. Character. Romney wool is well crimped from butt to tip. Uniformity over the entire body, length, and spinning count are most important. The fleece is lustrous; it hangs in separate locks, with minimal cross fibers between the locks. It is also high yielding and easily spun. The fleece should be clean, and must be free of kemp and hair.

3. Color. White Romney fleeces must be free of black or brown fiber. Small black spots on the ears are acceptable. For natural colored Romney fleeces, at least 35 percent of the fibers must be pigmented, and more is desirable.

4. Luster. The fleece should exhibit a bright, shiny, healthy appearance.

5. Quantity. Annual fleece production should be eight pounds or more for ewes, and 12 pounds or more for rams.

6. Grade. Wool with a spinning count of 50 to 44 inclusive (equivalent to a fiber diameter of about 29-36 microns) is within the breed standard.