New obstacle course fun test
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — The goats led by their young handlers didn't do too ba-a-a-a-ad on Wednesday at the Butler Farm Show's first goat obstacle course.
Held in a large tent near the goat barn, the caprine competitors seemed more interested in nibbling on their handlers' shirttails than traversing the course, which consisted of pole weaving, climbing over a small set of stairs, punching through a tunnel, jumping through a hoop and walking a seesaw.
The disinterested-yet-adorable goats were led, coaxed, pushed and sometimes carried through the obstacles by 28 youths ages 8 through 18 who are showing their goats at the farm show this week.
All goats participating in the obstacle course were required to have been shown before judges at the fair, according to Marlene Myers, who came up with the obstacle course idea.Myers said all of the human competitors are members of the Caprine Club 4-H group or FFA.The competitors were grouped in three age classes, and ran the course individually before a sizable audience that laughed at the goats' antics or refusal to try an obstacle. The crowd also clapped and whooped to encourage the cantankerous competitors through an obstacle.Each competitor was timed, and the three fastest in each class received ribbons and a monetary prize large enough to buy some cheese fries or a corn dog.The goats that competed were of all sizes, from a tiny fawn and white specimen handled by a very young girl to a large doe who carried with her a large supply of milk.Some obediently trailed alongside their human counterparts through the entire course, but most flat-out refused to jump through a bright red hoop. In that instance, the goats' front legs were lifted one by one through the hoop and their hindquarters followed via fervent yet careful cajoling from their handlers.Meghan Thornton, 14, got a real workout trying to coax her goat, Gyro, through the course. Gyro refused to comply with Meghan's lead at all five obstacles, which left Meghan huffing and puffing after she and Gyro mercifully crossed the finish line.“He was really stubborn,” Meghan said. “This isn't one of his best days.”Still, she was proud of herself for persevering instead of giving up.Meghan said she appreciates goats' loving personalities and their versatility in being used for fiber, milk or meat.She admits she will be sad when Gyro is auctioned off in the junior livestock sale on Thursday.“I will cry like a baby,” Meghan said. “It's tough, but we get over it.”
Cydney McDeavitt of Jefferson Township led her tiny goat, Pixie Dust, through the course with significant success.“She loves to jump and play, so I knew it would be easy for her,” Cydney said.She likened a goat's personality to that of a playful dog.“And you get to see their babies every year,” Cydney said.Camden Bash, 18, is the senior goat representative for the county's 4-H program and the president of the Caprine Club.He lost a shoe on the course, which lost him precious seconds in the competition but delighted the crowd.“I didn't know what to expect because it was the first time we did the obstacle course, so I'll be more prepared for next year,” Camden said.Madison Myers, who is Marlene's daughter, is the vice president of the Caprine Club and the intermediate goat representative for the county's 4-H program.She helped her mother come up with the obstacles and gave input on their construction to her father, Tim, who built all the obstacles.“It was a lot of fun and a good idea,” Madison said. “I think it went really well for the first year.”She said the obstacle course afforded the farm show's young goat handlers a competition that was fun and much more relaxed than the strictly regulated format used in the show ring.“You're still competing against each other, but it's fun,” Madison said.Marlene Myers said her intention in creating the course was to provide an enjoyable event that would keep the youths interested in goat handling.“It's something all the goats and kids can compete in,” she said.
