The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
PLAYFUL PERSONALITY
Fair week adds fun to goat time for young handlers
"Contrary to what people think, they don’t eat everything. They’re very picky.”
— Susie Martin
The morning of Aug. 25, was goat time for two siblings showing their livestock at the Lorain County Fair.
It was the first time of showing goats for Cody Martin, 14, of Grafton, who explained about details.
Cody took home ribbons and trophies for grand champion of the breed, reserve champion overall for the breed and second in showmanship with Trapper, his Nubian goat.
“I thought I did good, I thought my goat walked well,” he said.
Exercising the night before, Trapper was more stubborn.
“So, it’s a good thing he walked today, eventually,” Cody said.
His younger sister Emily Martin, 12, is the more experienced goat handler of the family.
It was her fourth year showing the animals, and Cody said she influenced his decision due to her awards in 2020.
This year, Emily brought the Nubian goat Harry for the Aug. 25 judging and they placed third in her showmanship class.
“I actually didn’t win, and I’m not mad about it because he’s going to a farm,” she said about Harry.
He could be sold and continue his life as a family pet, while Trapper, as a grand champion, will be auctioned for a terminal sale.
On Aug. 23, Emily scored a third-place ribbon for showmanship and a fifthplace award for breed for her Boer goat.
The siblings are members of the Forward Bound 4-H Club.
They received their goats in March and raised them on the family farm with parents Susie and Jim Martin.
Their grandmother, Barbara Ward, serves as substitute caretaker as needed.
“I’m proud of my grandkids,” Ward said.
Cody is quarterback of Midview High School’s freshman football team; Emily, a seventh-grader, plays volleyball.
This month, when not at sports practice, they were walking the goats daily and feeding them two or three times a day.
“Contrary to what people think, they don’t eat everything,” Susie Martin said. “They’re very picky, so they might like one feed one day and a certain feed two days later.”
“And for snacks, we give them animal crackers,” Cody said.
“They love animal crackers and vanilla wafers,” Susie Martin said.
In the summer heat, they used fans and hoses to keep the goats cool. The animals will pant, lay down and stretch out when temperatures rise, Emily said.
The youths sheared the goats before the show.
“He didn’t like it very much,” Cody said about Trapper.
But, he and Harry sported their buzz cuts for the show barn.
For dairy goats, the goal is to go low and slow in judging.
The Boer goats are more serious in demeanor, but the Nubians are more playful, Jim Martin said.
“They’re like dogs after a while,” he said. “The Nubians are great. These guys are just goofy and happy and nibbling all the time.”
The siblings also show market rabbits.
They agreed the bunnies are cute and fuzzy, but goats are more fun.
“They’re funnier,” Emily said. “The rabbits just kind of sit there and take up space.”
“It’s basically like a dog to you,” Cody said. “They have more personality than a rabbit because a rabbit just sits there and poops and eats, basically all day.”