GOATS Galore!

DAYTON - Goats were the main event at the ninth annual OctoBoer Fall Finale Boer Goat Show & Buck Futurity show at the Columbia County Fairgrounds.

The show brought breeders, exhibitors and owners out to show and see Boer goats Satur- day, Oct. 6, and Sunday, Oct. 7.

Show Secretary and Host Terry Brown said she was happy with how the event went.

"It was good," Brown said. "We had a lot of new people."

Brown said she has been in- volved with the festival since its inception. The event is usually held in Walla Walla, but was held in Dayton this year.

Brown said she has been raising goats since 1973.

"My first goat was pur- chased because my son needed goat milk," Brown said.

Her son's inability to pro- cess his baby formula led to a long-standing pastime for Brown.

In 1993, the Boers were brought into the United States after being developed in South Africa for meat production, Brown said. The Boer is well- muscled and fast-growing, typi- cally white with a red head, but all colors are acceptable.

"I got my first Boer in 1995," Brown said.

Now, years later, Brown said 30 exhibitors and families from across the northwest, including central Oregon and western

Goats are sorted by age and judged on their conformation with champions selected from class winners.

"Both judges commented on the exceptional quality of Boers here in the (Northwest)," Brown said.

Host Michelle Long said she was pleased with the overall turnout and the num- ber of farms and goats that attended this year. Long said close to 150 animals were entered to compete in the Boer competition.

"One thing that attracts many people to the goat shows is that they are so fam- ily-oriented," Long said. "It is not unusual to see young kids leading a goat around the ring with an older family member nearby just in case the goat is doing the leading."

Saturday's judge was Reg- gie Phillips from Brighton, Colo. Sunday's judge was Jared Jackson from Walnut Springs, Texas. Long said the 2012 national senior champion doe belongs to Maddie Fenton of Touchet who at- tended the competition last weekend.

On Saturday, in the per- centage does category, the overall grand champions were Crystal and Maddie Fenton of Dust Devil Ranch with MADI Priscilla, and the over- all reserve grand champion was Leslie Bader-Robinson of Leaning Tree Boer Goats with Leaning Tree Pastel. In the full blood does category, the overall grand champions and reserve were Crystal and Maddie Fenton of Dust Devil Ranch with Capriole's Fiesta and MADI Astrid in reserve.

In the bucks category, the overall grand champions were Kimberly Liefer and Jake Martin of aAprina Acres with Love'n M Sugar with a Bit of Change. The overall re- serve grand champions were Louise and Charles Goudge of TLC Boer Goats with TLC2 High Time.

On Sunday, in the percent- age does category, the over- all grand champions were Crystal and Maddie Fenton of Dust Devil Ranch with MADI Priscilla and the over- all reserve grand champion was Leslie Bader-Robinson of Leaning Tree Boer Goats with Leaning Tree Prize. In the full blood does category the overall grand champions were Crystal and Maddie Fenton of Dust Devil Ranch with Capriole's Fiesta and the overall reserve grand champion was Leslie Bader- Robinson of Leaning Tree Boer Goats with Leaning Tree Daybreak. In the bucks category, the overall grand champions were Crystal and Maddie Fenton of Dust Devil Ranch with MADI Apollo and the overall reserve grand champions were Kimberly Liefer and Jake Martin of aAprina Acres with Love'n M Sugar with a Bit of Change.