Goats provide light-hearted experience for handlers

Sisters Brynn and Annika Mason agree that goats are the most fun of all the animals to show at the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo.

“They are such cool animals,” Annika Mason said. “They have the funniest personalities and they are just so silly. We love them.”

Goats took center stage at the fair Thursday morning as competitors at the Trade Center took to the ring with their animals.

Judge Mari Morris admitted to having a tough time picking out winners in several categories this year with the high level of each project making her decisions that much harder.

“These were all great projects that the kids can take as far as they want,” Morris said. “If any of these kids want to put together any kind of niche home-grown kind of operation, I think there is a lot of potential that these kids could get a handle on it with the projects they have done.”

Overall, Morris said she was very pleased with the projects she judged at this year’s fair.

“The young men and women put a lot of time and effort into their projects and that really showed in the show ring,” she said. “You go to sporting events. You go to other activities, but I don’t think you will find a group of kids that is more professional, poised, kind and well-mannered. These kids are elite, for sure.”

Category winners came from across the Flathead Valley as Kila’s Emma Brist took home top honors in Any Other Purebred along with Best Doe, Best Udder, and was the grand champion in Junior Showmanship.

Naomi Wehrman of Somers was the winner in the Senior Showmanship category and also took top honors with her pack goat.

Kalispell’s Miley Fritz was grand champion in both meat goat and market goat while Kaden Grant of Columbia Falls had the best Nigerian Dwarf goat.

Brynnlea Toren of Kalispell won the Junior Novice Showmanship and Kalispell’s Haven Newton earned Best Grade in Show.

The most unique moment of the goat show this year came with the introduction of the costume category, which was won by Kalispell’s James Newton in his tuxedo along with his wigged goat as the pair were “going to prom.”

Reserve champion went to Kalispell’s Brody Daychild, dressed as a Star Wars clone trooper along with his heavily laden pack goat.

Everyone appeared to have put much time and effort into their projects

The Mason sisters are in their fourth year showing goats at the fair.

“It’s a lot of work, but it is so worth it,” Brynn said. “You have to start when they are babies or train them up until competition,” Brynn said. “We also had to milk the goats every day. There were no breaks and we never went on any trips. We knew what we had to do every day and we made sure it all got done.”

Annika says the key is getting to know how each of the goats wants to work.

“They are very unique animals and they each have their own separate personalities,” she said. “Each animal is very different. We have some animals that are extreme extroverts and some that are very introverted. You have to learn how each one acts and how to work with them.”