Ahem. I just thought I'd like to mention that my gorgeous brown Angora buck's mohair won a first place at the NM State Fair this year. This was my first time ever showing anything at the Fair. Not only that, but I took 3 fleeces to the Taos Wool Festival last weekend and was 1st, 2nd, & 3rd in their fiber show (now, we were the only 3 mohair entries, but..). Am I proud of my kids? dh in nm

-- debra in nm (dhaden@nmtr.unm.edu), October 10, 2001

Answers

CONGRATULATIONS! Wonderful news for you! I know you are a proud "momma"! In His Grace, Sissy

-- Sissy Sylvester-Barth (iblong2Him@ilovejesus.net), October 10, 2001.

Debra, do you have a web site with your animals on it. Would love to see them. I also raise colored angoras.Terry

-- Terry Lipe (elipe@fidnet.com), October 10, 2001.

Yea Capricornians. . . you go girl. Wow, kudos to you for your goats placing so well. . . you SHOULD be real proud. I don't raise show animals and know even less about it, but I understand it is very competitive and a lot of hard work on your part. Not being involved in this arena, could you give me some information.

Now tell me, does this mean there will be a goat swim suit calender deal, NIKE adds (yeah, we BAAAAAHD!), sunglass commercials or at least a book written by them (ghost written, of course). I'll stand by and watch David Letterman for their interviews!

But seriously, congratulations. Send pictures to Countryside, I'm sure they would be included in a future issue.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), October 10, 2001.

Excellent Debra! This ought to become a regular Thread. We have so many goat illness threads to handle that we should have a wellness Thread! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), October 10, 2001.

Congratulations Debra. I am just starting to learn about various fibers and wools (sheep) and I can certainly understand what an achievement it is to take such awards. I hope to enter my fleeces in our local fairs once I get the sheep.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), October 10, 2001.

Yes, I expect our next step will be the Letterman show. At any rate, the good thing about showing only the fleeces at the State Fair is you don't bring goats home with State Fair sickness! Well, I've written a little article & submitted it to Countryside all about my new adventures and mis-adventures in goat-raising, thinking it may help someone else starting out with caprines like me (complete with gloat... er, goat pictures!); and the most recent issue of The Woolly Times has the "Reader's Digest condensed version". We be famous. Thanks, you all. Yours in the SW, dh in nm

-- debra in nm (dhaden@nmtr.unm.edu), October 10, 2001.

Thanks for letting us be with you in your time of celebrating! I notice you are in New Mexico (an area of the country I have no experience with) Here goats are used to clear pasture/keep grass down but there I'm assuming mostly scrub. Must you rely wholly on feed? Many congratulations!!

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), October 10, 2001.

Howdy from the SW, Ann. Well.. yes, I rely totally on grain/hay since I'm in the mountains and my little 2 acre ranchette is covered in pinon and juniper trees and prickly pear (pine sap and cactus thorns are NOT good for mohair), and my corrals are built in whatever clear space I can find! We do have grass here in NM, tho! I'm in the process of trying to relocate to a 5-acre parcel on the flat, windy plains, where at least I can let them have some pasture & more room to roam. Thanks for the input. NM is a beautiful place with a lot of diversity in culture, history, and land... everything from sand dune desert to way above the timberline at 13,000 ft. Get in the car and come on out for a visit some time! dh in nm

-- debra in nm (dhaden@nmtr.unm.edu), October 10, 2001.

Congratulations Debra!!! How fun!! I have had my one Angroa wether for five years now and just love him. Really should get at least one colored....sounds like you have some nice ones! you deserve to be proud!!!

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), October 10, 2001.

That is so neat, congrats!!!

Bernice

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), October 10, 2001.