If you get lost down a rabbit hole of cute goat videos, Friday at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo was your chance to see them up close and personal. Students parade their goats into Arena 1 for the Junior Wether Goat Show.
“This is my goat,” Mackenzi from Midland Lee FFA said. “His name is Pancho.”
This was Mackenzi’s first year raising a goat, and the FWSSR was her and Pancho’s first stock show.
“I’m just learning, like, it’s really hard. Like, you can see everyone else’s goats are, like, way bigger than yours,” Mackenzi said. “You’re not always going to win, but like, you can always get up and try again.”
“I won Grand Champion with him my first show,” Jessann said as she fed her goat, Oliver. “This show we got 15th out of 67, so it’s pretty good.”
The Wether Goat Show runs all day in front of packed stands in Arena 1.
“It was so nerve wracking, but I’ve always believed they can sense your emotions,” Jessann said. “If you’re nervous, they’re going to be nervous. So I said a quick prayer, and I was like, you know what? We’re gonna do good!”
Each class is judged, then the winners and 2nd place move onto the drive for their weight class, as they show for Grand and Reserve Champion titles.
“When you’re getting to that gate, you’re shaking, its nervous,” 11-year old Reece said next to his goat, Zeus. “But when you get out to the ring, it’s like you’ve done it a million times.”
Reece has shown goats for three years. He won his class and moved on to the Medium Weight Division Grand and Reserve Champion Drive.
“It’s just fun,” Reece said. “Everything about it’s fun!”
This wasn’t Reece and Zeus’ year to win, but there’s always next year.