Our Richmond County 4-H Goat Show is coming up this weekend. This is an event that you don’t want to miss! It is the fifth in a series of shows that are part of the 4-H Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit sponsored by Carolina Farm Credit and Cape Fear Farm Credit. We have close to 100 entries expected to come Saturday to show their animals and their skills. Admission is free and there will be food sold on-site. The Livestock Club will also be selling raffle tickets to win a Yeti cooler as well as many other great prizes.

The Richmond County 4-H Cloverbud showman this year is Lexi Reep. Junior goat showmen are Ava Berry, Tobey Lunceford and Savannah Shepard. The Intermediate showman is Payton Smith and Senior Showmen are Coleman Berry and DeLani Reep. These youth have been working hard and representing our county well.

Rules and the schedule are listed on the Richmond County Cooperative Extension website at: https://richmond.ces.ncsu.edu/?page_id=360017

Point rankings are listed on the website now, if you would like to keep up with the results of this very competitive program. When looking at the top five in each division, Savannah Shepard is currently ranked 2nd and Ava Berry is ranked 3rd. Payton Smith is currently ranked 3rd in her division and Coleman Berry is ranked 2nd in his. We wish them well in their goals to steadily climb the ranks. They each have a plan to practice and improve at each show. Based off of the judge’s recommendations, they make changes for the following show. Doing this allows youth to learn how to speak with adults and to be grateful for what others do for them. Seeing a young child shake the hand of the judge to thank him for his time and advice is very heartwarming to see. Seeing that young child congratulate someone who placed higher than them is even better!

The 4-Hers are currently gathering sponsorship money to pay for our Richmond County 4-H Goat Show. It will be on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. at the Melanie and Dale Dewitt Farm in Ellerbe. We encourage the community to come out and support our hard working 4-Hers. What these youth learn from showing livestock in the ring is only the beginning. They also learn leadership skills, animal husbandry, nutrition, health, record keeping, self-esteem and responsibility — to name a few. They make friends for life across the state and learn how to communicate with adults and other youth. The future of agriculture lies in them, as they are the future farmers, doctors, teachers and agricultural advocates in our community. This is why we want to send a huge thank you to our sponsors and to all the parents, friends and family of the showmen who support them throughout the show season. If you need directions to the show or would like to make a donation, please call me at 910-997-8255.

Tiffanee Conrad is the Richmond County Livestock Agent of the N.C. Cooperative Extension office in Rockingham.

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Daily Journal file photo Tobey Lunceford squats down to hug his goat during the 2014 Richmond County 4-H Goat Show. This year’s event will be at the Melanie and Dale Dewitt Farm in Ellerbe on Saturday.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_goatshowTobey-Lunceford.jpgDaily Journal file photo Tobey Lunceford squats down to hug his goat during the 2014 Richmond County 4-H Goat Show. This year’s event will be at the Melanie and Dale Dewitt Farm in Ellerbe on Saturday.

Tiffanee Conrad

Extension At Your Service