LED GOAT ON-HOOF
For the first time, Mount Barker High School won grand champion in the led goat wether on-hoof competition.
A 10-month-old Boar wether, Balmarden Henry, was Bred by last year's grand champion winner, Cath Evans and Michael Leopardi, Balmarden Boar stud, Upper Sturt.
Kenny was earlier sashed live export champion before going on to take out the top honour.
It weighed 59 kilograms and had three-millimetres fat and a 31 square millimetre eye muscle depth.
Sired by Micathel Fergus and out of a Balmarden bred stud ewe, Ms Evans said the wether's bloodlines were sourced from Micarthel Boar goat stud, Cudall, NSW.
“We were really chasing the strong South African genetics and Marie Barnes imported embryos from South Africa since she started the stud,” Ms Evans said.
Stud owners Ms Evans and Mr Leopardi provided eight schools with 55 Boar goats and had supported the led goat on-hoof competition since its inception, 17 years ago.
"We continue to be involved to encourage younger people to have an interest in goats," Ms Evans said.
"Its a great learning experience to learn to handle a goat and hopefully by being involved, we help country students who may not get the opportunity to be involved such a big, the chance to get in the ring," she said.
“The goats are a lot lighter to handle for the students and some prefer this competition than the cattle.”
Winners, Mount Barker High School, brought 12 students to the Royal Adelaide Show and eight goats.
The school has selected a show team for the event for the past 10 years and agriculture teacher Lisa Dickson said the experience can only be explained as "brilliant".
Ms Dickson said only two exhibts did not receive a sash in the judging.
"I think the students are so happy they are going to cry," she said.
"Students learn to be really self motivated, caring for the animals was all done by them, they fed and cleaned the goats, and trained during lunch time.
"The event offers really important life lesson for the students,
"Its beneficial to learn early in life that identifying a goal and setting about as a team to achive that goal is possible if you work hard."
Ms Dickson said Balmarden had supplied the school with goats for the Royal Adelaide Show for the past three years.
“Our relationship with the stud is very strong, we can ask for eight goats with not much notice and they just make it happen for us to make sure the students get to be involved,” she said.
Reserve grand champion was sashed to lightweight champion Kenny, a 10-month-old Boer wether, exhibited by Keith Area School.
It weighed 34kgs and had 2.5mm fat, 27sqmm EMD.
International judge, Baam Maritz, South Africa, said the grand champion was virtually faultless.
"It was just a very solid animal with very good legnth and muscle, it was brilliant," Mr Maritz said.
"You could see it was bred out of stud goats," he said.
“It had a great shaped head and back legs.”
Mr Maritz was pleased with the students committment to the competition.
"All the goats were prepared extremely well and this was a reflection of the students dedication to the competition," he said.
