What a crazy weekend! I loaded up my goats and headed to Hester Ranch to haul together down to Greenville TX for another two judge show. I was pretty tired from working all weekend with Mark on screening in our back porch. I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend of goats and good friends!

After a great nights sleep we were ready to take on the competition. Duchess was ready to make her show debut as she had spent the last week at Hester Ranch being worked with by Allen and sons Colby and Ty.

Allen had said he'd like to show her as she was still a bit touchy with her feet and she was used to being handled by him. I thought it was a great idea too and it allowed for me to get some photos of her being showed for my website.Allen led Duchess into the arena and set her up nicely. She was a little tense, but for the most part fine. Allen who has had years of showing livestock of all types said that he felt her get a bit heavy on the lead as he was reaching for a back foot to correct its place. Next thing you know, she explodes like a racehorse charging out of the gates going for the roses at the Kentucky Derby. In her little "bolt" she headbutts the exhibitor in front of her who was also correcting the back foot on her goat, and practically runs over her goat. Allen somehow manages to maintain his grip on the goat and finish the class with her hollering her head off like she was being choked to death by an evil prison warden. As he walked past me sitting in the bleachers, he commented, "I knew I should have made you show your own goat." People sitting near me said "That's your goat?" I replied, "Yes. That's my sweet Duchess." Somehow she managed a 5th place ribbon that day. After putting her back in her pen, she ate half of the ribbon that I had tied on her pen. Guess you could say she doesn't like being a show goat.

The next day under a new judge and with Allens son Colby handling her, he placed her in 4th.  When he got to her he commented that "this doe is the racehorse of the class..she comes at you with a ton of power" were just a few of the comments that this judge made.  Allen and I just looked at each other and proceeded to crack up laughing.  If he had of only been there the day before to see the excitement.

Crave ended up taking a 1st and 2nd that weekend and the Hesters had a good showing with their buck also, so it was a great weekend for all of us.  This week will be busy preparing for Nationals and hopefully my next posting will be about a successful weekend at Nationals.

Thanks for checking in with us and I hope to have more to blog on soon!