CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Goat milking, animal snuggling and a youth showman competition are just a few of the events that will be featured at the Event Center at Archer this upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
The Fuzzy Goat Show, an annual goat competition hosted by the Wyoming Dairy Goat Association, is bringing a variety of agricultural events and interactive stations to the Archer center on May 24–26. Throughout this free three-day event, goat owners from Wyoming and surrounding states will present their dairy goats in various competitions such as milk testing, a youth showmanship contest and the regular goat show.
Around 200 goats are currently entered into the weekend-long event, according to Anne Larson, president of the Wyoming Dairy Goat Association. The show will kick off Friday night with a milk testing event, followed by two others on Saturday at 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Competitors will attempt to gather as much milk from their goats as possible during each session, and the goats will be graded on how much milk they produce.
The show’s primary goat contests will kick off Saturday afternoon, with each of the six shows being split up into separate divisions based on age and breed. Two junior doe and two buck shows will take place Saturday afternoon, while two shows for combined doe will begin at 8 a.m. Sunday.
During the main show, judges will assess goats based on “form to function,” Larson said.
“As breeders, it gives us feedback from judges so that we know whether to keep that goat in our breeding program or whether not to,” Larson said. “I think that holds true with a lot of our agricultural things. The animals —- the cows, goats, sheep, pigs —- are judged on production versus a horse,” which would be judged based on characteristics such as its aesthetic beauty “and how they move, and that sort of thing.”
The weekend has plenty of opportunity for additional entertainment and ways to engage at the show, too. A silent auction will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Show sponsors will have stations on how to groom a goat, how to milk a goat, snuggling baby goats and “[kissing] a buck for a buck,” Larson said.
Judges will grade dairy animals based on their potential to produce milk over a long period of time. The winning goats from each show’s age division will then compete against one another for a grand champion title. Ribbons will be awarded to the goats who win the title of grand champion and reserve grand champion. Goat handlers will also receive a cash prize if their animal is deemed best in show or best udder in show.
Prior to Saturday’s main goat competition, the Fuzzy Goat Show will host a youth showmanship event at noon. This segment of the event allows young competitors a chance to show off their goat handling skills. The showman contest is split into three divisions based on age.
Aside from the contests, several other events will take hold Sunday. At 8 a.m., attendees will be able to visit with mama goats that have recently had babies and are in milk. Goat handlers will have seven or eight breeds on site to demonstrate how the animals are milked differently, Larson said.
WDGA will also be hosting Baby Goat Yoga at 9 a.m. Sunday. The event is “more baby goat than yoga,” Larson said.
“You don’t even have to be able to do yoga; you just kind of come and do a couple of nice poses,” Larson said. “That way it’s easy, and you can still, you know, snuggle the goat,”
The cost to take part in the session is $20. Anyone interested in joining the session can RSVP their spot by contacting Larson at 307-286-7975 or anne@wyopineranch.com.
A majority of the show’s proceeds will go toward supporting the Wyoming Dairy Goat Association. Show sponsors include:
- Murdoch’s
- Mighty Ducts
- Mr. B’s
- Double Triangle Goats
- DIGGITY Doers
- Texkota Panel and Gate
- Wild Prairie Body Work
- Casa Ventosa Rescue
- High West Energy
- Pine Bluffs Feed & Grain
- Todd Fornstrom at Premium Hay Products
- Dr. Kayla at Your Family Chiropractic in Burns
For more information on the event, visit the WDGA’s website here or check out the event’s Facebook page here.
