Goat Appraisal Day

 Linear Appraisal was awesome!!! If you have the opportunity to attend or participate, don't cough, sneeze or hesitate, ru....n. It is a fantastic learning opportunity. If your goats score well, that's a bonus but education is the real reason for the event.

 Well, that and having fun for we can't help but have that when we get together. Our appraiser was soon getting in on our bantering conversation heightening the fun and learning. We came to the conclusion my friend had way too many bucks and needed to cull a few does.

I had the wrong buck for the does I have and he suggested that Anne and I pool our efforts and head in the same direction to get there quicker.

And Kirk and I had to smile really big when the appraiser insisted on going and getting his camera to photograph our buck, Touch of Classic.

He is the largest buck he has ever seen scoring a 37 out of 35 possible points on depth. We figure Touch weighs in over 300 pounds and he isn't fat. He is just a really big boy and has pretty shoulders.  If you need width on a doe, he's your goat and best yet, he's for sale.

What made the day fun was we knew we weren't pulling wool over the appraiser's eyes so we freely discussed the excellent, good, bad, and down right ugly parts of each goat.

This is a little of our banter:

"Oh sorry, you didn't want to judge my behind. Wait just a minute, I'll have hers in view, it's much better."

"Got a paper bag anyone, this head is not presentable in the Nubian category."

"My..., that is a narrow escutcheon. Oh, maybe I shouldn't of said that out loud."

Giggle, "I think he already knows."

We told the appraiser it was like Christmas, and it was. Not sure he believed us but Anne and I have been looking forward to this day all spring.  

 To top off such a wonderful day was this little beauty that came home with us. I saw her shortly after she was born and commented how of the sixteen kids in the pen, I liked her by far the best. It wasn't just the markings either.

And it wasn't that cute look in her eye but her conformation was what drew her to me.  It didn't hurt that I happen to love her momma's conformation too. I can't wait to see how this little girl looks at a year old.