State Fair

State Fair! Can't forget to put in a word about state. The day was quite warm and Emma's Dairy Goat show started at 8:00 in the morning. Lots of children and goats to be seen. I love seeing all the different breeds too. Emma did great - got third in showmanship but won the livestock interviews in dairy goat and got her chair she'd been wanting to win! Good thing too - it's her last year!

It is quite an honor to win this - every 4H-er has to do the interviews and it's a panel of judges you have to talk to. I'm very proud of Emma for winning this!

Her goat, Maggie, also did great here. Unlike at the County Fair, this judge knew all about dairy goats and breeds and what to look for. Maggie and Emma won their dry yearling class for Nubians and they were second - or Reserve Champion - in Junior Nubian Dairy Goat. The goat that beat her was an excellent doeling also. Yeah Emma! Way to go!!!

The goat behind Emma and Maggie won the Junior Does. But the judge said it was the hardest decision he'd had all day - that they were very very close!

Right after Emma finished, Jacky, Anna and I had to go help the vets test the champions and reserve champions in the swine and cattle. I've helped now for 4 years but we were very short handed this time. Mike had me lead a team (of me and Jacky) and Anna was drafted too and went with Mike's son Bridger. We had a bit of wait in the swine ring while the judge decided who he wanted. I spent the time taking pictures of the pigs...

Jacky and I had the Reserve Champion Barrow. We needed to get a urine sample and a hair sample which are tested for illegal drugs. But trying to get your animal to pee is not the easiest thing! We tried everything with our pig. Even took him to the wash rack to wet him down. Nothing worked. Then Tom came along and the mother of the 4Her said he sometimes peed when his privates were massaged. So Tom gets down in the middle of the isle and proceeds to "massage" while all these people are walking around us. Of course he was successful so I will have to remember that for next year.
Cattle were after that and Jacky and I had the Reserve Champion Dairy Market Steer. Again, he didn't want to produce for us. Eventually, after we walked him down to the wash rack and let the sound and feel of water get to him, he did go for us. Jacky caught it in the cup and was quite proud of himself. All I told him is "Don't spill it!" It could be another couple of hours before the cow urinated again. Job well done. The lambs we left to Mike and Tom so we could get home. After all, tomorrow we would be picking Emma up and driving to Mooorhead. Whew! What a week!