4-H And Open Shows At The Fair
Excitement is in the air all over the fair grounds. Today the fair began and it is time for all the kids in 4-H to show their projects that they have been working on for the past year. You can see the anxiety in their eyes and the chaos surrounding them as they prepare their animals for show. The barns are full of livestock equipment and supplies to help them throughout their week at the fair.
There were several sheep to show and in this category there were seven breeds with four classes each. It is amazing to watch these youngsters work with their animals.
Our goat show was next. Not many goats but, according to the superintendent, it was less than last year but will more than likely continue to grow. In this category we had a few different breeds. Boer was one and we even had some Pygmy goats. They are just so cute.
There is also a hog class and several of them were on hand to show.
We have a dairy and a beef show also. I saw Holstein, Angus, Hereford and other breeds.
It took a lot of hours for these kids to get their animals prepared for the shows. They are so dedicated and determined to do their best. You can really tell who puts in the time and effort. I believe they all did an excellent job.
It is also a lot of work to be a Judge at these events. They want to pick the best and at the same time not upset the crowd or contestant but it is not that simple. The judge has to pick which one he/she feels is the best and stand on their decision. I spoke to one of the judges today and ask what he looks for when judging.
J. J. McKinney, judge for the Junior goat show, says he looks for the overall best product. He looks for which goat will make or become the best goat in months ahead. For meat goats, he looks at the build and structure to see if they will grow and produce as they need. If it is milk goats, he looks at them the same but also checks their milk bag to see if it will produce the milk in the years ahead. He looks at their leg structure and how they stand, if they are solid on their feet. These are just a few of the details he looks at.
The judges do a great job and should be appreciated for their time and expertise.
I am sure it sounds simple but, rest assured it is a little more complicated than it seems. The superintendents, judges, clerks and all the people behind the scene put on a wonderful show for the crowd, it takes a lot of work and all should be applauded.