Faerytail Goats Milkyway

 

We lost the foundation doe of our mini-Alpine herd on July 22nd at just six years old. Candy had milk fever shortly after kidding this year and though she recovered, she stayed thin. She happily wandered the front field of lucious grass until a couple weeks before she died - then she wandered the barn yard with free choice hay and grain to get her ready for winter. She passed away during her morning nap.

She produced ten awesome kids for us: Hugz, Kissez, Snickers, Dotz, Skittlez, Starburst, Hershey, Almond Joy, Taffy and Heavenly and also has several fantastic grand-daughters a couple of whom are Romantz and Snickerdoodle.

She is resting under a tree in the backyard where she can watch over her granddaughters and furture realatives.

Western Idaho Fair 2011

 

We just spent 11 straight days at the fair! With temperatures hovering right around 100 the entire time, it really took alot out of ALL of us but we did have a very good fair!

The 4-H shows were first and it was a MUCH better experience than county fair (after a small snafu with showmanship anyway). Aaron was once again Champion Jr. Showman and again went to large animal round robin. All of his entries got BLUE ribbons! He finished the dairy goat portion with 6 championships, 3 reserves, 3 best udder of breed awards and his showmanship doe Snickerdoodle was named Jr. Best Doe in Show!!

For the first time we stayed for the open ADGA show with our Nigerians, a couple of Nubian babies and our grade Saanen. We were amazed to have both the Champion and Reserve Champion Jr. Nigerian does!! So, Cherry Butte Arista has her dry leg toward her ADGA championship! Her dam, Arianna was 3rd in a very competitive 2 year old in milk class and the Saanen won her 4 year old milk in class and was first place udder!

It was sure an experience but I think we have decided to stick with just the 4-H shows for now =)

Showing PyGmY GoAtS

 

Sweety has come such a long way since we got her! Aaron did fantastic showing her at the 4-H Show at the Western Idaho Fair placing 2nd in his Jr. Showmanship class and going on to place Res. Champion Jr. Showman and earning himself a trip to the small animal round robin! Sweety was also third in her quality class.

2011 Gem/Boise County Fair

 

Our county fair was the first week of August. I am another year older and not bouncing back as well from all of the "fun" and now we are about ready to head to "state fair"!

County fair was a very big disappointment for us this year. There was some trouble in securing a judge and the gal that they ended up with did not know dairy animals at all! Our Kissez was given a RED ribbon?!? It is so hard for the kids who show seriously at the open shows and do well to come back to a small county fair and have this happen. We all know it is that judges opinion on that particular day, but still . . . There was a simply GORGEOUS standard Alpine doe that should have won everything and she didn't do well at all. Aaron did win Res. Champion Sr. Doe and Best Udder in Show with the mini-Oberhasli "Babe" but there was NO comparison between her udder and the Alpines.

Too, the judge was not impressed with our young men in the show ring. Aaron did win his Jr. Dairy Goat Showmanship Class but did not even get blue ribbons in Meat Goat or Pygmy Showmanship. His Boer doe "Cleo" won her age group class as did his Pygmy "Sweety" - Sweety was also named Res. Ch. Jr. Pygmy Doe.

Now were are knee deep in clipping and packing to head off to the next shows and then we are DONE for the year!