# State Fair :)



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Wow... how to 'not' write a book? I don't know. So I'll try to limit myself!

My kids attended the state fair last week, and had a BLAST. They didn't really have 'state fair' type of goats, but who cares, the experience was worth it & while winning is fun, participating & just having a good time is what matters.

Thurs was the Country Ham project speeches. My son did this for the first time. I was told nearly 800 kids did the ham project this year! His ham & speech finished 9th of 16 for his age group in our county! So I am very proud.
He had a photo that got a blue award & a sketch that got a red award!

Fri, my 3 kids and I went up with their 2 market wethers and stayed until Sat. evening. It was a lot of fun. Soooo many kids & goats there, whew!
My youngest got selected 1 of 2 from her Novice class to compete for Grand Champion Novice, so that was exciting! The other 2 didn't get selected in top 10, but the judge really did seem to want those kids that were very firm and hard bracing. My kids don't like & don't believe in handling their goats like that, they say it's mean. So I am actually very proud especially of my son who stuck to his beliefs on handling the wether, and looked cool & calm and collected out there, way to go!
My doldest aughters wether got soft the past few weeks, he was in his prime for showing IMO in June/July and slacked off towards the end of July. He's such a big boy, over 100lbs she can't even brace him anymore. We aren't disappointed with how he placed, because we know how well he did over the summer <10 shows and never finished worse than 4th!>.

Went back Sun evening and stayed until Tues early afternoon with 5 of their breeding goats.
1st judge we all really liked. 2nd one, just didn't care for them, seemed to be some weird choices in there, and someone told us there was favoritism going on. I know if every judge had the same opinion, shows wouldn't be fun, but again, I don't think my kids will show under that 2nd judge again.
1st show is the one that mattered to my kids anyway, they were able to win back some of the $$ they spent on entering the state fair.

My daughter's percentage doe got 3rd in her class which was a nice surprise. 
My son's 2 fullblood doe's just didn't stand a chance, they are slower growers, and although IMO they are very lovely, they just can't compete with faster growers/bigger goats. Nonetheless we are very proud of them, we know what they've both been through/had to overcome. One of them didn't get enough milk from mom <horrible winter> & had a worm issue this summer. The 16mo was an itty bitty little triplet run <3 1/2lbs if that!> that was bottle raised, and just hasn't caught up to other does her age yet.

My son's buck did get 1st in his class, and my daughters got 4th in that same class, so that was very exciting!  That IMO was probably the class that mattered the most since we are breeding everyone to my son's buck.

Anyway, hopefully all works out so they can go back to the state fair again next year! The only downfall is it always starts when school starts! My son missed 4 days of school and girls missed 3! They are excused, but still, I don't like them missing school.





































Playing with her best buddy. These two are so cute together, they've been friends for a few years, and are like 2 peas in a pod at the shows! 









My daughter's % doe, Dixie









Top 3 of the class, doe in the middle won, she's very lovely! Both the ladies my daughter showed with are wonderful people 









My son's young FB doe, Luna. He plans on showing her as a yearling next year, and breeding her next fall.
She spotted me and was giving me that 'Seriously?' look lol


















Peanut is my son's baby & we all adore her so very much. 


















My son and his buck


















My oldest daughter and her buck









My son and his blue award photo  It was Reserve Champion photo at our county youth expo last month.


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## Ryann (May 29, 2013)

Congrats to you and your kids!


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Congrats!! :stars: sounds like such a fun time!!


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## VincekFarm (Jun 27, 2011)

Congrats! Fair is always such a fun experience!
Since I don't show Boers I was wondering in the first few photos why the goats weren't shaved below their knees?


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## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

Good job to you and your kids. Its a fun time for all. getting the expierence and having fun is what it should all be about. Glad you had a good time.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Congratulations! Sounds like a winning experience all the way around.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks so much  it really was a lot of fun. To top it all off the breeding show was an ABGA show & also the first one we'd ever attended & first one they'd ever shown in, so that was fun.

VinceKFarm - the ones that are shaved down are market wethers, most everyone shaves them down to their knees, everything above has to be shaved. Typically a #7 blade, but since my newer clippers are on hiatus  We had to use an old pair of adjustable clippers and they only work on size #10, so we had to shave them really short.

With the breeding goats you leave more hair on. I wanted to do a better job cleaning them up, but again the clippers weren't working well and did a chop job on one of the does  It's not the blades it's the clippers, I think something to do with that piece that moves the blade back & forth, so I am going to have the guy that cleans/sharpens our blades take a look, might have to send them in for repair or fork out the $$ to buy another pair next year 

The paint buck, Joey is out with the does, so far he has definitely bred my daughters 2yo doe <Dixie's mama>, so we're excited about kidding season next year.
Sadly, we can't keep Joey - we don't have a place to winter a buck, so once we're done breeding & everyone seems to have taken, then we'll have to sell him. He's such a sweetie, and so laid back, it'll be very difficult to sell him.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Glad everyone had a good time! Love the photo's once again.  And I think you do a really good job clipping them! I'm not looking forward to doing mine next year, it seems like a lot of work :lol:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

It looks like everyone had an awesome time.


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

Great pictures!! Looks like you all had a fantastic time! 

Peanut has gotten so big!!!  She's beautiful! 

I love your son's paint buck. Very handsome! I like the buck the blonde haired girl in purple has too, although I can't see much of him.


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Your kids did great!!! Marisa's is so darn cute, I can really see how much better Jessica is getting, James sure is a pro in the show ring. I like that he tried to get a serious face but you can still see the grin. The goats also look great I really like peanut so you can send her up north whenever you like. I am sure UPS will ship her lol. Keep up the good work.


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Oh now I just reread that you were saying peanut was giving you the serious look.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Candice. You've been underselling your goats to us. They look very good.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Aww Thanks you guys  We had such a great time, I am so sad that it's over until next year!

Peanut is small for her age compared to some of those other does <big, gorgeous show does>, but I think she has such potential. She's around 140-150lbs. She's so spoiled, and attached to James I don't think we could ever send her anywhere lol 

It'll be interesting to see how Luna grow's out. I'm praying she will continue to grow well and show well for him next year.

Colt went to his new home Saturday, I miss him so much  But, he has ladies to keep him company, and owners who are excited about getting into goats, I know he's in a good home.

Joey has already bred all 5 of our adult does lol! What a stinker! We've never had all 5 come in heat in the same week, I feel overwhelmed!
He's going to go in with Peanut in about 3 weeks, we can't wait. We may breed Dixie soon - she isn't going to be shown next year, but I don't like breeding them so young, so we'll see.
After that, we have to sell Joey. He's such a sweetheart, so easy to handle and laid back.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Luna is pretty! And I love Peanut. Something about her reminds me of Sugar... I think it's the cape. But she is very pretty as well


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