Young goat raiser exhibits top show quality

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

Ashley Reeves of Lipan proudly displays her award and prize-winning Boer goat at the recent Hunt County Fair in Greenville. -- Photo by Lori Cope

June 16, 2005 - Although there were several exhibitors parading their Boer goats before judge Reggie Phillips, time after time and class after class, Phillips kept walking up to give Ashley Reeves' hand the championship shake.

Ashley, age 13 of Lipan in Hood County, had several does and bucks entered in the International Boer Goat Association's open show at the recent Hunt County Fair in Greenville on Saturday, June 4. The American Boer Goat Association's competition was set for the following day at the fairgrounds.

It was Ashley's senior doe that captured the Best of Show title after first beating out the other senior does in the class competition. The Best of Show title was declared from all the various class champions.

Competitors and their goats traveled many miles to enter the IBGA and ABGA open shows in Greenville. The competition pitted former champions against some newcomers.

It was at the previous year's open Boer goat show in Greenville that Ashley competed for the first time in the IBGA- and ABGA-sanctioned events. At that time the youngster had five goats, but with her show winnings, Ashley has increased her herd to 15. "I compete in several shows now," she said, "mostly through 4-H."

As a Lipan 4-H club member, she has been showing goats for about three years.

During the recent open IBGA and ABGA shows in Hunt County, family friend Rena Lynch of Hamilton was on hand to help Ashley when the youngster had more than one goat to enter in a specific class. Rena, who has around 1,000 head of her own, proved helpful in the ring at show time, and also whispered support and praise to the young exhibitor.

In the closing moments of the yearling doe competition, Judge Phillips had two of Ashley's goats out front, pondering which would win the class. Rena held one goat, as Ashley held the other. As Phillips stepped away after shaking Ashley's hand to indicate a first place win, she and Rena did a quiet "high-five" for the victory. Then, Ashley's goat held by Rena was cited as the second place winner.

"Rena has helped me quite a bit," Ashley shared.

Hood County Extension Agent Marty Vahlenkamp, who handles the Lipan 4-H Club, said a lot of the work towards improvement has come from Ashley, herself. "It's amazing how far she's come in the two-and-a-half or three years that she has been showing," the agent said. "She really works hard at it."

Vahlenkamp noted Ashley began her goat showing career by entering a market goat in the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show in Fort Worth. "She had a pretty good wether, but it was overfed, and kind of fat ... but she worked with the goat and by show time it looked good. She ended up with eighth place."

Since it was Ashley's first time to show, Vahlenkamp recalled having Ashley work on the methods for presenting the goat to the judge in the show ring. "That night we got in the ring and worked on showmanship skills. ... Whatever you ask her to do, she's one of those 4-H'ers that just does it ... no hesitation."

This year at the Fort Worth competition she did well, again; and Vahlenkamp said at last year's San Antonio competition she won the Junior Breeding Goat Show and earned a $6,000 scholarship."

Plus, the young exhibitor has done well at the county shows, Vahlenkamp added.

"She began showing wethers, but she's branched out to breeding goats," he said. "She has really done well."