# 4H Boer Show Day Step by Step...



## ()relics (Dec 25, 2010)

Your child's first show can always be tramatic. You are not sure what exactly to expect which can be an anxious time for you...So here is my son, who is 11 in the pictures, showing one of his Fullblood does. He has some show ring experience but, you will see, he still struggles. I will focus on just one of our show animals so this post doesn't go on for days.
So this is Show Day. We are up early with all the animals out and moving around to loosen them up and get them ready...








This is My son and his Fb Doe Jackie. She is 11 months old and the first time we have had her at a show. Our state/county divides our Boer breeding stock show into Fullblood/Purebred animals and percentages animals and then by age. So Jackie will show in class 2 in the Fullblood division. There are 3 other goats in this class, the winner and runner-up move on to the Champion Drive with all the class winners in the fullblood division. Jackie's class is in the afternoon so we keep her loose and give her water but no hay or feed...The boy on the other hand needs feed...which he is sharing with a neighboring pygmy(?).








Finally it is time for Jackie. Now for the 4H show steps:
Step 1: Get your goat into the ring without tripping over your own feet.








You may think this sound easy but It's Not. Everything is trying to trip you including the goat....
Step2: Follow the judges instructions and line your goat up where directed. Again Not So Easy.








Give yourself plenty of room between your animal and the next in line if you think you are crowded pull your goat out and circle her around. Sometimes the goat has other ideas but you have to put it where you want her.
Step 3: Size up the competion while trying to set-up your goat. Again not so easy especially when you are 11. But do your best. That looks like a really nice class...Jackie is going to need some luck.








At this point you want to keep your goat looking its best because this is the judge's first real look at her and first impressions MATTER. You can see Jackie looks slightly "hunched". She should be stretched out a little more but its her first time and she is slightly jumpy.
Step 3: GLIDE your goat around the ring as directed by the judge. Try again not to trip and remember to BREATHE.








The judge will pay specific attention to how the animal moves. If you try your best to move her smoothly it will help your placing. Jackie flows like water so no problems here.
Step 4: reset your animal where the judge instructs you. Set it up to look as correctly as possible. Give yourself plenty of room, again. I like how Jackie is set-up far enough away from the next goat so the judge can see her entire body, right and left side, at the same time without seeing the next goat.








The judge will completely look over your animal. She will touch it check its mouth and may pick up its leg, you have to try to keep her as still and collected as you can...and remember to BREATHE.
Step 4: The judge may reset you again to make her final decision. Always look at the judge and pay very close attention to her. If she asks you a question try to answer loudly and clearly all the while keeping your goat looking its best.
















When the judge makes her decision she will pass you and point or touch your goat. When/if this happens DO NOT FAINT or leap into the air and yell...Simply thank the judge and move your goat into the lead spot just like you have done this 1000 time before.
Step 5: Get your goat out of the ring. This should be the easiest part of the whole deal UNLESS you haven't been breathing. Try not to stampede out and run anyone over while you rush outside to scream.








take your goat back to barn to give her some water and get her ready for her next trip into the ring.
See Easy...Now if you have several goats to show and several kids, sometimes showing in the same classes, just multiply this by 100, and you will be glad when the day is over....Sorry it so long...


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## jberter (Jan 21, 2010)

Great walk through on the step by step show day and your boy looks very proud of his girl,, thank you for sharing and hope it's a good year out there again for you.. Graet pictures to... :wahoo:


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## pelicanacresMN (Dec 29, 2009)

very cool--I'm sure a lot of people will find it very helpful


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Wow this is great thanks! I will show this to my kids  
They had their first 4-H meeting tonight and aren't real sure what will go into showing, so I will show them the pics tomorrow.


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Wow relic that was really awesome to post that for the new kids showing. We had that same judge this year. The one thing I didn't like about her is how long she took for showmanship. At our fair it is first and she was taking over an 1 to almost 2 hours per class. By the time the goats came back in the ring for their real show they were soooo tired. But she was pretty consistant so that was nice.


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## ()relics (Dec 25, 2010)

She judged only our meat animals, both breeding stock and wethers. I thought she did a very nice job and you could tell she was Texas, oldstyle standard influenced, as she ONLY place traditionals. She did not judge our showmanship classes. Our meat show had 170+ animals and it took 4(?) hours from start to finish with a lunch break. I never complain about a showmanship class moving slowly, the more time a judge spends with the kids the more they learn...the longer they have to be in the ring the more comfortable they get, as well....I agree sometimes its hard on the animals especially when it is 100 in the shade.


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

Great post....thank for sharing!


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