Animals at their best

PORTALES - The Roosevelt County Fairgrounds were bustling Monday morning as lazy pigs were prodded to washing pens, thirsty goats fought to get watered first and all other manner of barnyard critters were corralled into temporary homes.

Exhibitors will be busy all week keeping their animals groomed, fed and healthy for their respective competitions and the Junior Livestock Sale this Friday.

"We're going to be busy, but I think there's going to be a pretty big turnout for Roosevelt County," said Ryan Craig, the Roosevelt County 4-H agent. "All the livestock shows are a returning aspect of the fair that are very beneficial for youth and teaches them all different types of skills."

Craig said the number of entries this year has been fairly consistent with previous years, with a few noticeable exceptions.

"We're going to have a good show. Our numbers are up with more goats entered than ever before," said Rod Savage, the Goat Show supervisor. "We have 70, which will be a record for the county. And not just quantity, but quality is up."

Savage also highlighted the Special Needs Goat Show, where special needs children can sign up to exhibit one of the animals after the main show.

"If there's a special needs kid that wants to get involved and get some experience, they can borrow a goat and one of our kids that shows goats can go with them and help them exhibit the animal," Savage said.

"They'll get some hands-on time with an animal and that's an opportunity a lot of special needs kids might not have."

Savage said the Special Needs Goat Show is in its second year, but he hopes to expand it in the future, maybe even getting some of the other livestock shows involved.

While the organizers were focused on getting everyone situated, families worked to get their animals prepped for the shows.

Trevor Rawdon and his mother Brandi Rawdon-Urias were busy Tuesday morning prepping their goats for the week by hand-watering the animals.

"This morning we brought out our animals and show equipment. I got them fed and weighed for the show date this Wednesday and now I've been drenching them and watering them to make sure they're hydrated and don't get sick," Trevor said.

Trevor said a lot of work went into his animals this year after he started raising them from babies. He had to keep up with daily scheduled feedings, watering, grooming and a treadmill exercise routine. He walked the animals on a treadmill for three minutes each day, while also training them on how to stand and move properly for the show.

"It's a lot of fun. I've made some lifelong friends and I got to work with animals, which I love," Trevor said.

The judging for poultry and rabbits and the Swine Show are already finished, but you can catch the Goat Show and Special Needs Goat Show at 1 p.m. and the Lamb Show at 5 p.m. today. The Dairy Heifer Show will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, with the Breeding Beef Heifer and Steer Show later that night at 6 p.m.

Things wrap up with the Supreme Livestock Showmanship contest Friday morning and the Junior Livestock Sale at 6:30 p.m. with a meal afterward.