Children compete at College of Agriculture's annual lamb and goat show

Cattle gathered from a variety of surrounding states were led by young exhibitors in the College of Agriculture’s Block and Bridles' annual Lamb and Goat show at the University’s Beef Teaching Unit Saturday afternoon. 

The event included exhibitors from across the southeast including Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. As one of the largest events in its history, the show had around 100 contestants and 150 animals participating this year.

“This year we have doubled in entries and almost tripled the sheep and goats we normally have,” Second VP of Block and Bridle and Co-Chair of the Lamb and Goat show Katie Kreider said.

“It’s a really great turnout and we are really excited,” Kreider said.

Head Chair for the Lamb and Goat show Paxton Peacock said exhibitors can come together to show off their projects they have raised and compete for prizes and premiums.

Children ranging from ages 5-19 competed against one another in the pen as they showcased the cattle they have raised. Contestants were judged on the health of their animal, its obedience, the exhibitor’s confidence, eye-contact made with the judge and overall presentation.

“It is a great way for them to show off what they have done and all that they cared for,” Peacock said.

“There is a lot of livestock showing in our community but this one is a little different since the main goal of the show is for community involvement,” Peacock said. “We are not a for-profit show or anything like that, none of the money goes back into the organization.”

It is an excellent opportunity to meet new people, too, said Whitney Harren, a second-time exhibitor at this particular show.

“I have always had a good turnout at this show and I think most of the people that are here that I know are really good people and they are [as] eager to show just as I am,” Harren said.

As for the planning that went into the event, Peacock described the work as extensive. Many tasks went into the creation of the event included food planning and prep, reserving the venue, setting up pens and wash racks, sending out and reviewing entry forms, sorting classes out for different categories and managing parking.

On the day of the event, the work continued as every animal needed to be checked by the vet when getting off the trailer before it was weighed and sorted into its market and breeding classes.

“We try to exhibit the best breeding and meat carcasses from our state and surrounding states so that’s why we have market lambs, market goats, breeding goats and breeding lambs, just to show off the best of what we have,” Peacock said.