My kids have shown for years and what we have found is, every judge is different! They almost always ask the kids to show them a few parts from the anatomy charts. Rarely they have asked the older kids other questions. Some judges put a lot of stock in knowledge and some don't ask questions and judge them solely on showing. I'd just have them learn as much as they can, and we usually learn the anatomy first and go from there. Sometimes they will ask them to name the other types of goats in the ring.

 

Body parts, what they feed them & amounts, price of feed, birth dates & even if they have kidded (and # of times)...they ask it all! Every judge is different..

 

The most common thing judges have asked us is goat anatomy. Some other things are tell me something you like/would like to improve about your goat( this should be structure wise not that he is cute ) If they have had them switch goats in the ring with other exhibitors she may say tell me something you like/would like to improve about this goat. Also know the other breeds. the judge may say put your goat between the Boer and Nubian. We have been asked the Showmanship score card too not to be confused with the Dairy goat score card. Its in our goat manual. I would watch the older kids show first to get an idea of what the judge does. And above all HAVE FUN!!
Anna Burkholder
www.freewebs.com/brbn

 

Ditto what everyone has said so far!

I've been given all of the above mentioned except showmanship score card.... we don't use those. But critqueing my own animal as well as others. I have been asked about breeding, commercial goat herd management, what the words "showmanship" and "sportsmanship" mean to me, what breed I would cross with the boer and why... Granted I am in the senior age division but some judges are very big on questions. I would definatley make sure they know about meds, feed and stuff that you do with your goats. Also since you guys show does I'dmake sure they know a little bit about breeding... like typical kidding stuff, weaning kids, and stuff like that.

Normally as long as you know about your management program. Personally, I'm a stickler for questions because in a hard class they can be the difference between 1st place and 5th place. Good luck

 

Thanks so much! This is very helpful! There is a lot to learn that's for sure I think they know the basics, but I am putting together an info sheet they can study, and I can help them with. I want to pull everything out of the goat medicine cabinet and sit down with them and explain what we use this and that for. I found a good pic of the goat anatomy/labeled I'll work with them on that, and try to get them to list and tell me at least 3 different parts of the goat that aren't the 'easy' answers, haha...

I don't expect them to learn it all overnight, but I hope they grasp some of it before they start showing. We have a wonderful book for them to read, but with my oldest daughter having ADHD and it affecting her ability to learn, she struggles with reading and understanding what she is reading, so I really will have to help her along.

Thanks again everyone, this helps tremendously and I'll print out a page for them to study tomorrow!

 

Our local 4-H office, or cooperative extension has a Goat kit. It comes with a big chart with velcro and then little velcro square with the body parts written on them that they can put on and take off. We would check it out every year for the kids to practice labeling all the parts of a goat. It really helped. There were also scorecards to study and other things to study in the kit. I used my digital camera to take pics of the charts and then would print them out on paper for them, too. I would also have them get their goats out and practice as if we were in the show ring. I'd have them walk them, do the maneuvers, and I would ask them what each of the body parts were by pointing to them. My son won senior showman two years and each of them have taken first in showmanship. It's been a lot of fun, but a lot of work! Good luck!