LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Each livestock project at the Allen County Fair presents its own challenges, but being prepared can make a difference when exhibitors face the judges.
There is a lot to learn when showing goats at the Allen County Fair, and the hard work exhibitors put in before the fair can pay off in the show ring.
Ava Harrod, who has shown goats for three years, knows what it takes to prepare her animals. She says it starts with getting the goats accustomed to the handling and positioning they will need to demonstrate for the judge.
“I work with them to like make sure their feet are set. Sometimes that they don't like their feet touched so you got to make sure you work with them plenty to make sure they don't move around when they get their feet touched or for dairy goats you have to like straighten their back out and sometimes they don't like that. Some goats don't like to walk if they've never been walked or if they're a new to a different place. So you want to make sure you handle them enough at home,” says Ava Harrod, Showed goats for 3 years.
When presenting the goats, exhibitors also need to make sure the judge can see the animal's best qualities.
“You want to make sure they're bracing so they can actually feel them bracing and it's difficult because my goats usually don't like their heads touched so it's kind of hard to do. But you got to make sure you work with them plenty enough just to get them used to that feeling,” says Harrod.
Harrod and her sister brought 16 goats to the fair, making for a busy week of showing and caring for their animals.
“Tuesday's always like our busiest day because that's when all the show goats are and that's like like my favorite part of the week but it's always the busiest so it's like grab another go and go grab another go and go and it's always I think a fun and cool experience,” adds Harrod.
