What did you do today?

[Nanno]

Got back from another goat show last night. Had a good time. Nubbin won Grand Champion Recorded Grade both days, but unfortunately there weren't enough goats in the show to sanction. Pepi beat five goats in her age group but didn't take any championship ribbons. Pepi was as much a delight at this show as she was at the last one. This is going to be one fun goat for somebody! I taught her to shake hands and walk on her hind legs in ten minutes while we waited to enter the ring.

A fellow walking by (who had also seen me putting Petunia through her routine of tricks) said, "Boy, you must sure spend a lot of time working with them!" (And by his tone of voice he was also saying, "SOME people have waaaayyy too much time on their hands!")

He looked shocked and even a little skeptical when I answered, "Yeah, I've spent ten minutes! This is the first time I've ever worked with this goat."

I really don't think people appreciate how quickly goats learn, nor how teachable they are. Tigerlily made a lot of progress this weekend. She still won't stretch and level out her back no matter how I stroke, poke, tickle, or touch, but she no longer tries to run away or goes straight up in the air and leaps around on her hind legs. She sometimes roaches her back (the complete opposite of what I want!), and she might take a couple of steps out of place, but mostly she just stands there and looks at me like "What the heck are you doing??" She briefly stretched a couple of times in practice and got lots of rewards, but she didn't get good enough for me to try it in the ring. On the plus side, she also didn't kick or sit on any judges at this show so I can live with her not posing perfectly. She also stood still while being set up, which is more than can be said for Nubbin!

Nubbin was a hoot at this show. It's a good thing she wasn't being judged on decorum because she spent the whole time trying to attack one of the other goats in the lineup. On the first day she wanted to attack the goat behind her, so every time Phil went to set her up she would try to whirl around. Even when Phil got her to stand still she kept looking over her shoulder with her hackles all raised. So the next day I told Phil to try bringing Nubbin in last and see if that helped. It did not. She spent that class trying to reach ahead and bite the tail of the goat ahead of her. Once again, all the hackles were up and she simply refused to square up and stand still. Her eyes were wild and her neck was in that arched-up position more commonly seen on strutting, aggressive bucks. But it didn't stop her from winning, so I guess I can't complain too much.

Nubbin and Petunia are complete opposites at shows. Going to and from the show ring, Petunia acts like she has rocket boosters on her hooves and I have to keep her in an iron grip to avoid getting the collar yanked out of my hand. She will literally drag me down the barn aisle if I can't keep my feet, and she got away from me more than once at this show. Meanwhile, Nubbin almost makes you drag her from point A to point B. A person who has Petunia in one hand and Nubbin in the other feels like they're being drawn and quartered. In the ring, Petunia is a perfect lady. She struts and poses like a queen on parade. Nubbin, on the other hand, argues with her handler, refuses to stand square or stay still, and looks at the other goats with blood in her eyes. I'm pretty sure she thinks she's there for a cage fight. They're funny girls.