# Showmanship Questions



## Dover Farms

I know my goat parts and all the scorecards(Showmanship, Sr. Doe, Jr. Doe, and Buck). I also know some of the parasite/disease symtoms Example: What is a sign of Cocci?(got asked that one time and I got it right), but need to work on them. I was told that I should read the ADGA Guidebook inside out at least once a month...once a week even better(this is for going to Nationals), which I know I should, but the stuff on membership and the commitee meeting stuff is so boring. Although when it gets to the actual goat and breed stuff...I am fine. 

We are going to Louisville this year(YAY!!) and I would like to know what are some general questions they ask at Nationals? I am sure they are harder, but how much? Do they ask much out of the Guidebook other than breed standards like anything about membership and commitee meetings?(Hope not!  ) Do they ask skeletal parts?

Thanks!


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## goathappy

Sorry I can't tell you anything but I would also ask this on one of the Yahoo lists :wink:


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## Dover Farms

Thanks Sarah! I didn't think about that....


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## sweetgoats

WOW, I don't know what they would ask at Nationals, but my daughter has won Grand Champion Showman for the last 4 years at the County and state level. 
She just studies all the parts, knows her diseases, what to treat certain things with, what the withdraw time is of meds, How to tell someone where a part is on a goat WITHOUT touching or pointing to the goat. (as if you were telling someone here). That was the thing she won it last year at the state fair, because she wanted to know if you new ALL your parts.
She wanted signs of plant poisoning, Cocci, Worm over load, bloat, and I can not think of the other things. She was VERY hard on the kids, as she should be on the Seniors.


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## sparks879

i never went to nationals as a youth but have friends that did. Even at state levels we were asked to tell the judge a part, in relation to other parts, so like the withers i said, the withers are at the base of the neck, the first part of the four parts of the bak in front of the chine and abouve the point of shoulder. setting up a goat. they may ask you to trade goats. ALWAYS move your new goat foreward a step or two and re set her, this shows the judge that you think you can set up that doe better then the owner. Take a quick peek at the doe as you walk up to her, notice her weakest and strongest points at a glance, the judge my ask you what you like and dislike about her. what would you change about your own doe what are you does strongest points, and why
dont just say her udder. Why do you like her udder? what makes it her strongest point? the scorecard is a huge thing, know the showmanship scorecard too. 
Cleanliness is another huge thing, for you and your goat. Make sure she is spotless the night before, bather her show sheen her, some tricks to bathing is put some condiotner on her coat while keeping her wet leave it on for about ten minutes before you completly rinse her. Make sure she is well rinsed soap residue stays sticky. When you clip her, take carful consideration of the ears tail top of head and in between toes. work with your doe a lot! get her to walk easily not fighting you when you pick up her feet or touch her udder. Have different friends come over and act as a judge and have them touch her. Some goats freak out when strangers touch them. I dint really have any friends close to me involved in goats, when we traded goats my doe would always freak out yelling and looking for me. Get your friends to handle her as well. So she is calm around new people. 
Know her birthdat her freshening date and any other dates you think you might need, aong with how many times she has freshened. 
characteristics of each breed, parts of course. Depending on your age group there could be a huge range of qestions.
beth


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## Dover Farms

Thanks Beth! I never thought about moving a doe forward after switching to re-set her. :greengrin: Hey do you have pics of all the different Alpine colors?? I know a few, but I can't remember all the cou ones and I would like to see them. Maybe then I'll be able to remember! :lol:  

I was also told that I should learn how to bump set a goat. I need someone to show me how, because I tried with a doe last summer and I couldn't bump set her worth squat. Also, my does aren't used to it either and I am not confortable with it either, because it takes me longer to do that then to grab the legs to set them up.

And I know I gotta be prepared for anything. Last year a judge about stumped me, well..not stumped, but it did take me a little bit to answer....he asked a list of the parts that start with C.


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## Muddy Creek Farm

What is bump setting them? I have an idea but I want to see if it is what I am thinking. Boy I never realized how tough showmanship was!


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## Dover Farms

Bump setting is where you take your knee(or you can use your hand) and put pressure on the goats point of shoulder(knee) or below the should blade(hand). Depending on which side you apply pressure...supposedly....the opposite(I think) rear leg will move. Now I've got the rear leg to move, but the doe put it too far back...although she does this herself sometimes. I'll have to try more on a doe whose stands more properly than the one that wants to stand like a walker horse.... :roll: 

Anyway...bump setting is good if your doe doesn't like her rear legs being touched and so you can always keep your eye on the judge. (my thinking though...if you can set your doe up quick it won't really matter  :wink: :lol: )


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## Muddy Creek Farm

Yep, that's exactly what I thought. I think I will have to try that on some of my does this year. Good luck at Nationals!!


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## sparks879

bump setting can be very difficult to teach the doe. First you have to teach them to set correctly. Practicing to the point that when you stop they automatically set up. This takes a lot of practice. personally i think your better off training your doe to to be alright with you haveing you touch her legs. When your pushing your doe into position i think it looks bad. If you have a nice well built doe, i assume your going to use that red two year old of yours? they tend to naturally set themselves and you wont have to move much. Another thing to remember is keep that topline level. When im setting a doe i level her out before i move her legs, and then again afterword. If you have a doe who is weak in the chine or lower n the withers tickeling just behind her front legs will help that. show the doe not yourself, squatting is a good way to do that. if your knees start to hurt like mine always do, a little trick is when the judge has got his back to you gently pull your doe foreward just a little, get her to take a small step, it gives you a chance to stand up and stretch your knees. Just dont do it too much, maybe once or twice.
as for the alpines, if they ask you to describe the alpine chaecteristics, use words that apply to the breed: Dished or straight face erect ears they are a medium to large breed they can be any color or combination of colors but pure white and toggenburg patturn (then go on to describe the togg patturn and markings a medium brown with white facial stripes lower legs and ears, along with white triangles on either side of the tail is also descriminated against. 
some of the color patturns are cou clair meaning clear neck wich is black in the back with a saffron gray or tan front end. cou blanc means white neck, black hind quarters and white front quarters. cou noir pronounced coo nwah means black neck, this is black in the front and white in the back. hope this helps some. Its exciting to go to nationals!
beth


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## Dover Farms

You know...I see a lot of judges and pro show people that don't bump set. I know one of the Considine boys do though.

Umm....haha...no I will not be using my 2 year old! :lol:  She is the one that likes to stand like a walker horse and I am constantly fighting to keep her feet were I want them. To set her front feet is very hard...when you pick up her leg and try to set it down and she doesn't want to...she WILL NOT put that foot down until I let go and then she puts it out too far. :hair: :roll: Most likely I will be using my milking yearling, Flicka, or at least I think she will be milking! She has an udder that will fill up my hand and could be due the 13th or the very beginning of May.

It does help Beth! I really have to remember the Alpine colors! I know Sundagu(SP?), Chamiosee(SP?), and I know there can be a broken with all of the colors. I am really excited that I get to go and show at Nationals! We went on the day that the Nubians showed in 2006 when it was in Indianapolis. It was fun just to go look! :greengrin:


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## sparks879

lol well maybe flicka would be a better choice! LOl thats funny about your doe, bella? i think thats the one im thinking about. Are you goping to take fool?
beth


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## Dover Farms

Yeah, I hope Flicka will behave herself! My two year old is Libby. Bella is a four year old with a mastitis scarred udder. I would like to take Fool...that is if I get her. Tammy(Autumn Acres) is going to Nicole's tonight to help her make final decisions on who she is letting go. I sure hope I am able to get Fool! :greengrin:


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## AlaskaBoers

I heard something about, bracing, what is this? - i heard it on a meat goat website. anyone know?


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## Shelly

Bracing is done in market class general. Market sheep are alway braced. Market goats are a 50/50 deal depend what state you are in and who the judge is. I never seen it done in a breeding class doesn't mean it not done I've just never seen it. To brace you put the bottom inside of your thigh in the animals chest and push. You want the animal to push back against you. You also want the head up and legs place right. It make the muscle hard and pop out more. Like when you flex your muscles. Here's a picture and more information. Shelly
http://lambinators.homestead.com/brace.html


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## AlaskaBoers

thanks, the pictures where really helpful. interesting. thanks again. heres another showing question; when should i start teaching a kid to lead, pose, also how do i get the goat to keep alert during a show?


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## farmgirls

Did you get to show at the Nationals? How did it go? I went but just to watch this year. I would like to show our goat there in a few years, but I'll have to really work hard on my herd. My dad wants me to show next year, but MI to CA is pretty far! :sigh: 
Bethany


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## FarmGirl18

farmgirls said:


> Did you get to show at the Nationals? How did it go? I went but just to watch this year. I would like to show our goat there in a few years, but I'll have to really work hard on my herd. My dad wants me to show next year, but MI to CA is pretty far! :sigh:
> Bethany


Another Bethany on the forum!! Yay!! Welcome to The Goat Spot!!


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## Dover Farms

Yes I did get to go to Nationals. I only stayed and participated in the youth events and then went home. When we left I didn't know what the results were for the Judging and Management were. I didn't place in Showmanship or the Fitting Team. All I got was experience and I had fun. Then the other day I was looking at the Judging and Management results on ADGA's page...I was....wait for it.....2nd in the Jr. division! WOO HOO!


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## farmgirls

Oh that is way cool! What were some of the questions the judges asked you? What age division were you in? I watched intermediate. I knew a few of the "kids" out there and in fitting and showing. 

Bethany(oh this is too neat, another Bethany  )I saw your blog, you have really nice goats. I got to see some of the Kastemers dairy goats. Did you know that they got the Grand Champion Senior and Junior Nubians, the Grand Champion junior and senior Lamancha does and Premier Breeder? I would have to say that is pretty good!

Bethany


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## FarmGirl18

Thanks Bethany! Oh, no actually I didn't know that about Kastdemur's but it doesn't surprise me, they have super nice goats.  Did you see any of the Lakeshore animals? I would have SO loved to have went to the Nationals....maybe someday! I didn't even make it to the Boer Nationals this year and it was only 2 hours away from me!! We were just too busy that week.


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## farmgirls

We did see some of the Lakeshore animals. We actually have a few with their bloodlines though none of ours are directly from their herd. They do have some awesome animals too. They had the Reserve Champion Nubian Senior and Junior does. They also got Reserve Champion Best Udder. I guess they also got some of the breed classes too. If you want to see all the results of the National show, ADGA has them all on their website. They also have all the youth results too. How long have you had your goats?
~Bethany~


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## FarmGirl18

Well, if your asking how long I've had goats it would be about 10 years. But I just recently got my two Lakeshore goats, a buckling and doeling, the end of March when they were about 2 weeks old. And then I got 2 doe kids from Blissberry Nubians (she has mostly Lakeshore and Kastdemur's animals) the first of June. All the other Nubians I ever had were mostly just grades. So I'm really excited with this start to my registered herd.  

That's neat that you have some of their bloodlines...so how many goats do you all have?


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## farmgirls

That is so neat! We have had goats for about 15 years but we did get rid of them for one year. Couldn't keep them away though, we got a few new kids the next spring!  

We currently have 9 Nubians, though 3 of them are just Grades. I think they were out of registered stock, but the mother wasn't registered so I just registered them as Recorded Grades. We also have 3 Lamanchas that have Kastedemer lines in them. We have a 2 year old whose grand-dam was the National Champion a few years back. We also have her daughter and one other doe with nearly the same lines(their sire was the same). Our farm majors is alpines however and we currently have 13 does right now. 4 of them are Grades but pretty much the same thing as the Nubians. We also have 2 Expermentals, one is a Lamancha/Nubian and the other is a Lamancha/Alpine. 

Do you have only Nubians? What do you like about them most? I like our Alpines best for their spunk, they can keep going and never quit. I do like the Nubian style though, old and new. We have an old style doe but everything else is new. So....what is the style of your Nubians? 

~Bethany~


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## FarmGirl18

Sounds like you've got quite a herd!! That's neat!

I have just Nubian's on the dairy side...I just totally love them.  Although I started with Pygmy's years ago and the first time I saw one I was like "those things look weird!" :greengrin: But then we got our first one a little doe kid from some friends, I've loved them ever since!! Just can't get past those long ears.  So I have the 4 registered ones, and then 3 grade does that I'm milking and 2 kids that I still have from this year. One is a wether that is staying to be a buddy for my buck.

I also have quite a few Boer's that I show...just got into those about a year ago, but I sure do love them too! You can see some of them on my website (http://www.shekinahspringsfarm.com) I have around 23 counting the kids from this year.

So I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "old" and "new" style Nubian's you'll have to explain for me.


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## farmgirls

Old style Nubians are larger boned, deeper bodied, a little shorter bodied. How do you post pictures on here, I am no computer techy.  I will try to get some pics on here if I can figure it out. 
Thanks!


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## FarmGirl18

Okay...well I'd probably say mine are "new" style then. As to posting pictures you can post them on your blog, and then right click on the picture and select copy image location...then come here and click the little 'Img' button when you are making a post and copy the link there. Most people use photobucket.com to upload their pictures but I way prefer using my blog, I can't stand photobucket. :roll:


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## farmgirls

This is the old style type-our doe Frosty Girl








And this is the new style-our doe Sierra from QM


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## farmgirls

Hey, that was way cool!  Thanks a ton!!!


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## sparks879

great name guys, im a bethany too, but i usually go by beth.


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## farmgirls

Wow! That is cool! 3 Bethanys on one forum! Anyone else? :wink: So what kind of goats do you have?


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## FarmGirl18

Good job on figuring out how to post the pics!!  Both of them are really pretty, that gives me an idea of what you were talking about. 

Beth, I didn't realize your name was Bethany too!! Neat!! We won't even begin to say all of my nicknames though...my most popular one is "Besh."


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## sparks879

LOL, I have lots of nick names too. my ex boyfriend has a nephew (we are still good friends just not dating anymore) that was four at the time that we were dating. Christian couldnt say my name so i was "bep" well barry was ucle barry so according to christian i was uncle bep. He is now seven and he still calls me uncle bep.
I have alpines.
beth


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## farmgirls

Just to let you know, our fair was just last week and I placed 1st in showmanship and won overall(beating the seniors!!!  ). I was glad to accomplish my goal of the year. 
~Bethany~


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## FarmGirl18

That's exciting!! Congrats!


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## nutmegfarm

I have been showing at Nationals and done very well in showmanship...the questions really aren't hard what it comes down to usually is clipping...make sure your goat is absolutely spotless!!! If you make it past the first cut, it will usually come down to clipping. If you have any questions feel free to ask me, I can talk about showmanship until I'm blue in the face


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## nutmegfarm

I only do "bump" setting on young does that I know will either hunch or severely go out of line. Never do this in showmanship. One of the points of showmanship is showing that you can handle a goat properly, so if you can't touch it, how can you handle it? Its ok in breed classes, but don't do it in a showmanship class, especially if your not in pee-wees or juniors.


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