# 4H primary member wants to show goat at fair



## solebaby (May 24, 2013)

Help! My daughter is a 4H Primary member and wants to show her goat at the fair. I can't figure out what to sign up for. She has a registered Nigerian Dwarf goat. I don't think she can show under large animal dairy goat because of her age (8)? Do I register under small animal Pygmy goat?


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## CCCSAW (Jul 11, 2019)

Our had a classification for primary I don't recall specifically but I think it was listed under the pygmy's showmanship but it may have been a separate class all together. Either way there should be a classification for primary only, and they only show in showmanship I believe. We talked about it for my younger 2 but I don't want to expand my herd to include pygmy's. Talk to your leaders though someone knows where to find the classification for registration.


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## Robinsonfarm (Jul 17, 2015)

check with your local extension office, my 5 year old son shows in the open class goat show


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Hmm. We've been doing 4-H for 15 years now and I've never heard of a "primary" member. We call children ages 5-8 "Cloverbuds". 9-12 are juniors, 13-15 are intermediates and 16-19 are seniors. Though, to be honest, some activities and fairs don't use the "intermediate" designation.

So, all that is to say - the rules for showing may not be the same from state to state. We live in Maine. Cloverbuds used to be allowed to show their goats in the 4-H shows. My daughter showed when she was 6. The very next year they changed the rules here so that Cloverbuds cannot show. They can only "Demonstrate". That meant that durning the showmanship and fitting portion of the show they could enter the ring and walk their goat, but had to have an older 4-Her with them who had a leash on the goat just in case the youngster lost control. The judges still ask them them questions about their goats and still have them show body parts. Some judges will even talk them through making regular showmanship moves. ie. the whole thing is supposed to be a positive teaching experience for them instead of a competition.

As for the portion of the show where the judge is doing breed classes, Cloverbuds ARE allowed to bring goats in the ring and show them just like everyone else.

Which is kinda weird.

Anyhoo, that's how they do it here. Also, every single fair we go to has different rules and different classes for the does and different set ups for showmanship and fitting. So, 1st check with your county 4-H extension office to see what actual 4-H forms you need to fill out for your child to show. Here, our children must have animal approval forms and, if applicable, lease forms turned in by June 30. After that, it all depends on the individual fair. We can usually access online the fair booklets with the breakdown on how the show will be run, along with any forms we need to fill out.


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## solebaby (May 24, 2013)

Thanks for all of the replies! What I have discovered is that a Nigerian Dwarf goat can be shown in the "Pygmy/Dwarf" goat (small animal) class as a wether anytime and as a doe if the 4H member is under 9 years old. 9 and older the doe would be considered a dairy goat (large animal). Here is our doe! My daughter named her Coffee


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## CCCSAW (Jul 11, 2019)

solebaby said:


> View attachment 159763
> Thanks for all of the replies! What I have discovered is that a Nigerian Dwarf goat can be shown in the "Pygmy/Dwarf" goat (small animal) class as a wether anytime and as a doe if the 4H member is under 9 years old. 9 and older the doe would be considered a dairy goat (large animal). Here is our doe! My daughter named her Coffee


Awe cute goat, and cute name


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