Youngsters offer tips for showing doe kids at livestock show
Mar. 4—"Keep your eye on the judges" seemed to be the best advice Wiley Thomas got before showing his doe kid Wednesday at Muskogee Regional Junior Livestock Show.
The 11-year-old Coweta 4-H Club member placed first in the Class 1 competition that morning. The cousin who offered the advice, Cooper Harmon of Coweta 4-H, placed third with his goat.
The cousins dressed in matching green 4-H Club shirts as they presented their kids before goat judge Shannon Scotten of Nevada, Missouri.
Wednesday marked Wiley's first year of showing at the regional show. Cooper has shown for two years.
Cooper said keeping an eye on the judge is important, "so you can look and see where he's at, and so you can switch sides."
That means keeping the kid in front of you, and bracing the kid, while the judge observes.
Cooper said his doe kid made the premium sale at the 2020 regional show and was Grand Champion at the 2020 Wagoner County show. The kid got Reserve Grand at this year's Wagoner County Show.
Cousin Wiley's kid got Grand Champion at this year's Wagoner County show.
Wiley said the best advice he received for his first year was "keep your eyes on the judge."
He said he prepared his 52-pound kid in other ways before Wednesday's show.
"We washed her and dried her out, got her legs ready," Wiley said.
Brushy Elementary School second-grader Ambryss Guthrie is showing a doe kid for the first time this year. Brushy is near Sallisaw. Prompted by her big brother, Darin Guthrie, Ambryss said she walks her goat into the show ring and sets it up.
"Then you have to walk it around and do as much to make it look good," she said, adding that she placed first at one show earlier this year.
"I don't know what other places I got," she said.
The two Wagoner County boys placed better than show veteran Clayton Wallace of Tahlequah FFA. He said he has shown goats for nine years.
Clayton said the best advice he has for newcomers is to "just enjoy it. Have fun"
"Don't get lazy with what you're doing," he said. "Every day is a chance to get better."