So proud of these girls!
After a year of anticipation and preparation, the girls participated in the Alachua County Youth & Livestock Fair a few weeks ago! While exhausting, the weekend turned out to be a great success! So proud of these girls for stepping out of their comfort zone, trying new things and taking some risks. They both worked so hard all year on their project animals, they put in countless hours completing their record books and while their nerves tried to get the best of them at times, they pushed themselves to do the best they could and boy, did it pay off :)
The week leading up to the fair was filled with preparations! We cleaned the trailer, shaved goats, groomed the rabbit and even bathed the rooster!
Show day started early at 4:30 AM! The girls were up well before sunrise to do all their usual morning farm chores. We managed to get the goats loaded before the chilly rain started … and we were on the road headed to the fairgrounds by 6:30 AM!
After the usual pre-show chaos and a few nervous tears, all the animals did fantastic and the girls were phenomenal! Johnnie, the rabbit, won a red ribbon! Frosty, the rooster, won a blue ribbon! Emily placed 2nd in showmanship!! And Princess Pinecone Cottontail won Reserve Champion!! Anabelle was a superstar sister and even helped to show Emily’s goats since there were two goats in the same class showing at the same time! Teamwork at it’s very best :)
Before we could even load everyone back up to head home at the end of the day, the girls were already talking about their plans for next year’s fair!! Sounds like we may be adding a few more chickens to our flock and another rabbit to the farm before next year’s show :) And Brandon plans to enter as a Cloverbud next year! He’s already very proud of his new little flock of chickens. And Carmel, Anabelle’s new bunny is settling in nicely.
Just 2 weeks later … Emily took it up a notch by entering both of her goats in a big time local show - Goats in Gatorland!! We thought the youth fair was exhausting … Ha!! We had NO IDEA what we were in for!!
Once again, the day started super early at 4 AM. Ten hours after our arrival, it was finally time for Emily to start showing. And 400 goats later, soaked with sweat, covered in dust and grim and about ready to call it a very long day without placing … Emily and Pinecone unexpectedly won GRAND CHAMPION.WOOHOO!!! It may have taken 16 hours … and it was their very last time in the ring … but when the judge announced his choice … the look on Emily’s face (behind her mask, of course) made all the dust, sweat and long hours well worth it!! Her eyes got wide, everyone cheered and she very excitedly accepted her beautiful ribbon and plaque.
We had arrived to the fairgrounds in the dark to watch the sun rise from a picnic table. We watched the sun set as Emily started to enter the show ring. And as we finally loaded up to head home (again in darkness - but this time at 10:30 PM!) all humans and goats involved were utterly exhausted. Despite her exhaustion, however, Miss Emily very proudly held her big ribbon on her lap with a huge grin on her face all the way home. Princess Pinecone Cottontail seems to be a pretty big deal now :) Job well done Emily and Pinecone!!
PS - Lily did great as well and while she didn’t place high enough to earn a ribbon … she still has plenty of time to try her hand at Grand Champion herself :)
Until next year!! Well done everyone!! Really well done …
