Show completed before Hurricane

With the threat of Hurricane Irene looming, the 4-H/FFA Meat Goat Show was held at the Maryland State Fair. The entire show was held on Friday, August 26, so that 4-Hers could depart the fair early, before the storm hit. The 4-H/FFA Livestock Auction was postponed until the following Sunday (September 4).

Market goats
Cooper Bounds, a 4-Her from Carroll County exhibited the Grand and Reserve Champion market goats.  Katie Mayne from Montgomery County had the Best Bred-and-Owned 4-H Market Goat. 

Grand and Reserve Champion Market Goats
Exhibited by Cooper Bounds (R)

The following 4-Hers had class winners in the market goat show:  Erica Sprout (2), Cooper Bounds (3), Tanner Ridgely, Troy Bennett, Katie Mayne, and Casey Bounds. Carroll County had the top county group of market goats.

Rate-of-gain
While there is no rate-of-gain requirement for the market goats at the Maryland State Fair, awards are given in recognition of superior performance.

The market goat with the highest rate-of-gain was exhibited by Charles Buckmeier from Frederick County. Charles' market goat gained 0.75 lbs. per day between county weigh-in and August 25th. Reserve champion rate-of-gain was won by Bryan Bowman from Howard County. Bryan's goat gained 0.54 lbs. per day.

Reserve and Grand Champion Rate-of-Gain
Bryan Bowman (L) and Charles Buckmeier (R)

Breeding goats
The 4-H/FFA Meat Goat Breeding Show is divided into a commercial, non-registered division and a registered division, with fullbloods and percentages competing against each other. 

Sam Zambuto from Cecil County exhibited the Grand Champion Commercial Doe. Dean Bennett had the Reserve Champion Commercial Doe.  Cooper Bounds had the Grand and Reserve Champion Registered Does. Cooper's doe was named the Best Doe in the Meat Goat Show.  

Rachel Novotny had the Champion Buck in the show. The Best Bred-and-Owned Breeding Goat was the Champion Commercial Doe exhibited by Sam Zambuto.

Showmanship
The 4-H/FFA Meat Goat Showmanship competition was swept by girls.  Heather Gleason was the 1st place novice showman. She was awarded a set of clippers donated by Frey's Livestock Supply. Crystal Stowers from Carroll County was the Champion Junior Showman. Rachel Novotny was Reserve Champion.

Margaret Holloway from Harford County was the Champion Intermediate Showman. Austin Stoner was Reserve Champion. Ashley Braun from Charles County was the Champion Senior Showman. Sam Zambuto was Reserve Champion.

Champion Meat Goat Showman
(L-R) Ashley Braun, Margaret Holloway,
Crystal Stowers, and Heather Gleason

Margaret Holloway was named Grand Champion 4-H/FFA Meat Goat Showman.  She defeated Margaret Buckmieier from Frederick County in the Dean's Showmanship Challenge.

Brent Jennings, a 4-H animal science specialist from North Carolina State University served as the show's judge for the second year in a row. Susan Schoenian is the superintendent of the 4-H goat show. Shannon Uzelac is the assistant superintendent.

The hurricane resulted in a very small Open Class Boer Goat Show two days later at the fair.