Meet McKenna Blair First Coni Ross Memorial Scholarship Recipient “Being chosen as the first-ever Coni Ross scholarship recipient means a lot to me,” said... First Coni Ross Memorial Scholarship Recipient “Being chosen as the first-ever Coni Ross scholarship recipient means a lot to me,” said McKenna Blair, who is from Wagoner, Okla. “I considered her to be the best of the best.” Ranked 7th in her class, McKenna graduated Wagoner High School with a 4.0 GPA in May 2021. She now attends Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. As a double major in Agriculture Education and Agriculture Communications, she has a 4.0 GPA. “I will forever cherish Coni’s impact on my life,” McKenna said. “I can still remember her smiling and walking around the ring doing what she loved most. She brought so much positivity to the barns that always brightened my day.” Known worldwide for her knowledge of Boer goats and her interest in sharing her knowledge with others, McKenna said she hopes to follow in Coni’s footsteps. “I can only hope to, one day, be as knowledgeable about livestock as Coni and expand my own education to help and mold the generations to come,” McKenna said. After she graduates from college, McKenna wants to be an ag educator and build her own Boer goat herd. “Boer goats are beautiful animals,” McKenna said. “There is nothing cuter than a baby goat.” But it goes farther than that for McKenna. McKenna also wants to pay it forward by providing show animals to kids who are interested in showing and building a bond with the younger generations. McKenna said if you look deeper into what the Boer goat offers, there are many reasons to like Boer goats. “At the show level, they teach youth and adults how to manage time as well as how to be good caregivers,” she explained. “I think one of the greatest things Boer goats have to offer is their efficiency to convert forage to meat production. If a person isn’t interested in the show aspect of the Boer goat, the market and farm-to-table aspect is very beneficial and should be utilized more in today's world.” Related Posts

JABGA Member, Baylee Lamb, Recognized by the state of Oklahoma JABGA Bred & Owned Percentage Doe Grand Champion's hard work and dedication pays off! Baylee Lamb , the 2024 JABGA Nationals Bred & Owned Percentage Doe Grand Champion exhibitor, received an invitation from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to the State Capitol in recognition of her achievements at the 2024 JABGA National Show. During her visit, she had the opportunity to meet Governor Kevin Stitt, members of the Oklahoma State Legislature, explore the Capitol, and tour the Governor's Mansion. Lamb was among 48 Junior National Champions representing various breed associations. The exhibitors were recognized on Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt's social media pages. Congratulations, Baylee, on all your accomplishments, and here's to many more in the future! Related Posts Feb 28, 2022 JABGA Member Casey Stevens Researches Goat Meat Casey Stevens’ goal is to change the meat goat industry. Check out her award winning research! Feb 17, 2022 JABGA President Cecelia Knott's Showmanship Tip Check out this useful showmanship tip from JABGA Board President, Cecelia Knott. Feb 17, 2022 Congratulations JABGA Member Jiles Coble Congratulations to JABGA Board Member Jiles Coble who was selected to the 2021 Georgia National Livestock Ambassador team!

JABGA President Cecelia Knott's Showmanship Tip Check out this useful showmanship tip from JABGA Board President, Cecelia Knott. Practice! Practice! Practice! Set goals for yourself. Have someone video you practicing, so you can watch yourself and see how you may need to make some changes. Everyone shows a little differently but watching more experienced showmen is beneficial. Related Posts

ABGA on Boer Goat Nation - Dec. 20 ABGA joined hosts Drew Williams and Jason Brashear on Boer Goat Nation on December 20 to recap the ABGA and JABGA Face-to-Face meetings ABGA President Ken Baty, Treasurer Sam Knott, JABGA Youth Coordinator Hannah Seymore, and office manager Brenda McCary joined host Drew Williams on Boer Goat Nation on December 20, 2022, to recap the 2023 renewal process using iCompete discuss the ABGA and JABGA Board of Directors' Face-to-Face meetings. You can watch the Facebook Live broadcast of the podcast below: HELPFUL LINKS: Renew for 2023! iCompete Instructions iCompete Video Tutorial Boer Goat Nation , hosted by Drew Williams, is a podcast designed to promote the Boer goat breed, the industry, and the hard-working people that make the industry great. Boer Goat Nation is broadcast via Facebook Live every Tuesday night at 7:00 PM CST . You can find them on Facebook HERE . In an effort to improve communication and open engagement with nearly 10,000 ABGA members and industry partners, the ABGA Board of Directors is excited to be partnering with Boer Goat Nation . The Board of Directors has committed to participating in the podcast once a month to share updates and progress within ABGA and JABGA and share highlights from our published minutes from the monthly meetings of the Board of Directors . #JABGA #news Related Posts

REMINDER: Nominations Open for JABGA Board of Directors JABGA is now accepting JABGA Board of Directors nominations until March 1, 2023. The Junior American Boer Goat Association (JABGA) is now accepting nominations for the JABGA Board of Directors . Applications (completed by the nominee) for the JABGA Board of Directors are due to the ABGA office via electronic form or regular mail (4258 S Jackson St, San Angelo, Texas 76903) on or before March 1, 2023. The JABGA Board of Directors works alongside the ABGA Board of Directors to represent JABGA members across five areas of the United States as the main governing body of the Junior American Boer Goat Association (JABGA) . JABGA Directors volunteer their personal time and effort in service of JABGA programs like the JABGA Regional Show Series and by promoting core JABGA values like scholarship, leadership, good sportsmanship, and character development. The JABGA Board of Directors also serves as youth ambassadors for the improvement and promotion of the Boer goat breed through the breeding, raising, and exhibition of American Boer Goats. Board seats are open for the following JABGA Areas: Area 1 (Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming) Area 2 (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois) Area 3 (Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, New York) Area 4 (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina) Area 5 (Colorado, New Mexico, Texas) In accordance with JABGA Bylaws, applicants must be JABGA members in good standing (renewed for 2023 by January 1, 2023) in order to run for or hold a seat on the JABGA Board of Directors. For more information, see the ABGA Bylaws and the JABGA Bylaws . Application (Due March 1, 2023) Applications for the JABGA Board of Directors will be due by 5:00 PM CST on March 1, 2023 . Applications should be completed in full and submitted to the ABGA office via electronic form (see below) or regular mail (4258 S Jackson St, San Angelo, Texas 76903) by the due date. Required: Application (completed) – Download here Contact Information page and Certificate of Application (completed) Digital photo Directors Responsibilities page (signed) Responsibility Release, Information Release, Photo Release, Authorization Form Conflict of Interest Statement (completed) Code of Conduct form (completed) Brief statement (less than 250 words) – “Why do you want to be a JABGA Director?” Optional: Applicants may submit a resume that highlights the following: Involvement in JABGA and/or the goat industry School activities 4-H & FFA activities Leadership activities Volunteer work/community service Eligibility Applicants for the JABGA Board of Directors must: Be 14 years of age or older on January 1, 2023 Reside in the JABGA Area for which the applicant is running/elected Have renewed their JABGA membership on or before January 1, 2023 Questions or Concerns? C ontact JABGA Youth Coordinator Hannah Jenkins at jabga@abga.org with any questions or concerns regarding JABGA Board of Directors nominations. Ready to Apply? Applicants should complete the JABGA Board of Directors application below and submit it to the ABGA office via electronic form or regular mail (4258 S Jackson St, San Angelo, Texas 76903) by March 1, 2023. ONLINE FORM: Apply for Junior Board Nomination DOWNLOAD PDF FORM: 2023 JABGA Director Packet FINAL .pdf Download PDF • 357KB About JABGA: The Junior American Boer Goat Association (JABGA) supports ABGA in its mission to improve and promote the Boer breed and encourage the breeding, raising, and exhibition of American Boer Goats. JABGA fosters the personal growth of its youth membership through training in scholarship, leadership, good sportsmanship, and character development as individuals and in groups. #JABGA #news Related Posts

JABGA Member Casey Stevens Researches Goat Meat Casey Stevens’ goal is to change the meat goat industry. Check out her award winning research! An Unknown Staple of Meat | A Study of The Boer Goat Industry Casey Stevens’ goal is to change the meat goat industry. Her research “An Unknown Staple of Meat, A Study of The Meat Goat Industry” came in 4th in the Ag Sociology category at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. You can download and view her study here. Casey_Stevens_An_Unknown_Staple_of_Meat .pdf Download PDF • 962KB Related Posts

Maintaining Breed Integrity The Reasons Behind the Breed Standards by Jada Young Many times, in my show career I have asked myself questions. A substantial amount when I was younger was ‘why some things about our breed are the way they are, and what makes those things so important?’ A few examples of that would be the depth of body on an animal, or the precise hooks and pin set on a doe, or even the breed’s characteristic roman nose? Many of these answers can be dated back to before the Boer Goat was brought over to the United States from South Africa in 1993. When looking for these answers we need to take a step back from the show ring and look at the breed from a production standpoint. Our animals were not always made for the show life. They were used to produce meat for slaughter purposes. The main factor in that production was kidding out does to have more potential babies, or slaughter opportunities. This is where the deep body cavity and hooks to pin set come into play. The deeper flanked a doe is, the more desirable she will be because she has more maternal capabilities. This means she will have more room to carry the babies comfortably to full term. The hooks and pin set also play a vital role in the birth of baby goats. If you have a doe that is too narrow in her rear end, there is a higher chance of babies getting stuck, which is a possibility of lost life. When looking at herd production, you want to continue growing, instead of losing vital members of your herd. The next stage of life for a young kid is to grow to their full potential. When a kid was born many years ago back in South Africa, many farmers looked at their body characteristics to determine how much natural muscling the animals will carry when they are older. The roman nose is believed to signify a strong, broad head which is associated with good meat production. This is how farmers would cull their herds to only keep what they believed would be good meat producers. Next time when you are wondering why some of our breed characteristics are in place, ask a fellow member in hopes of learning some of the history behind our association. It is very important to know why our breed characteristics were instilled in the Boer goat all those years ago in South Africa. Jada Young Junior Board of Directors Area 4 Related Posts Aug 9, 2024 JABGA Member, Baylee Lamb, Recognized by the state of Oklahoma JABGA Bred & Owned Percentage Doe Grand Champion's hard work and dedication pays off! Mar 26, 2022 What National Agriculture Week Means To Me JABGA Board Member, Alaina Blair, reflects on what National Agriculture Week means to her. Feb 28, 2022 JABGA Member Casey Stevens Researches Goat Meat Casey Stevens’ goal is to change the meat goat industry. Check out her award winning research!

2022 JABGA Face-to-Face: Day 2 Day two of our Junior American Boer Goat Association Board of Directors Face-to-Face meeting is in the books! Day two of our Junior American Boer Goat Association Board of Directors Face-to-Face meeting is in the books! Our JABGA board members started the day at The Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center in San Angelo. The group toured the laboratories and research pens. They were also introduced to the center’s research, which spans several breeds of sheep and goats, feeding programs, fiber sources, crops, and technology-led parasite identification. We owe a special thank you to Sheep and Goat Program Specialist Jake Thorne and Dr. John Walker at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center. Our JABGA board enjoyed hearing their knowledge. We also owe a special thank you to Robert Cope, Senior Instructor/Research Associate in the Department of Agriculture at Angelo State University (ASU), for his wisdom and time during the tour of the laboratory. The group then traveled to the ASU Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Product Development Laboratory, where JABGA members got to see the product of the Boer goat breed – the meat! This further developed the knowledge JABGA members learned at the 2022 National Show Carcass Evaluation Class. After lunch, board members sat down for their official business meeting at the ABGA office. ABGA Board Vice President Kathy Daves-Carr attended virtually. JABGA board members ended the day enjoying a Texas country music concert on the banks of the Concho River in downtown San Angelo. Courtesy of: Avery Holman Up Next: Tours of Denis Feedlot and Rocking Chair Ranch! #JABGA #news Related Posts

2022 Halloween Virtual Costume Parade Ghouls and goblins and goats... oh my! In trick-or-treat spirit, we asked ABGA members to show us their best goat costumes on social media. Ghouls and goblins and goats... oh my! In true trick-or-treat spirit, we asked ABGA members from across the country to show us their best goat costumes on Facebook and Instagram. We want to thank everyone who submitted photos and joined in the Halloween fun. Click on the gallery below to see all of the cute, creative, and clever costumes submissions we received: 2022 Halloween Virtual Costume Parade Photos courtesy of: Cathy Schones Morris, Jessica Shannon Spangler, Amanda Griffith, Kristy Vaughn, Linda Johnson, Nancy Tartaglia, Andrea Luna, Angela and Kevin Manning, Josh Ganoe, Rebecka Knotts, Tracey Jenette LaRue, Laken Stocker-Dahnke. Goats & Goblins 2022 - Princeton, Ind. Photos courtesy of Cindy Dusek. #JABGA #news Related Posts

Area 2 JABGA Regional Show: Little Sioux Showdown Check out the results and pics from the Area 2 JABGA Regional Show: Little Sioux Showdown in Spencer, Iowa Check out these photos from the Area 2 Regional Show: Little Sioux Showdown! Related Posts

Area 3 JABGA Regional Show: Racing to the Heartland Check out the results and pics from the Area 3 JABGA Regional Show: Racing to the Heartland in Greenfield, Indiana! Check out these photos from the Area 3 JABGA Regional Show: Racing to the Heartland! See Racing to the Heartland Show #1 results HERE . See Racing to the Heartland Show #2 results HERE . See the contest results below. Related Posts

JABGA Meat Goat Evaluation Winners Drum roll, please. The overall placing winner of ABGA’s first-ever JABGA National Show Meat Goat Evaluation is Sophie Sturges. She... Drum roll, please. The overall placing winner of ABGA’s first-ever JABGA National Show Meat Goat Evaluation is Sophie Sturges. She received $3,650. JABGA Meat Goat Evaluation Winner Sophie Sturgis Here’s a look at how exhibitors placed: Light Weight Class 1st place: Wyatt Stevens 2nd place: Colton Westfall 3rd place: Dacota Higgins 4th place: Aris Barrientez 5th place: Baylee Lamb Medium Weight Class 1st place: Casey Jo Stevens 2nd place: Maddie Boyd 3rd place: Austin Hendrickson 4th place: Kaden Brown Heavy Weight Class 1st place: Sophie Sturges 2nd place: Lawson Brown 3rd place: Nathan Brown 4th place: Cannon Wilhoit Carcass Evaluation Class 1st place: Sophie Sturges 2nd place: Nathan Brown 3rd place: Lawson Brown 4th place: Kaden Brown 5th place: Casey Jo Stevens Record Book 1st place: Casey Jo Stevens 2nd place: Lawson Brown 3rd place: Sophie Sturges 4th place: Wyatt Stevens 5th place: Austin Hendrickson 6th place: Dacota Higgins 7th place: Maddie Boyd 8th place: Baylee Lamb 9th place: Aris Barrientez 10th place: Kaden Brown 11th place: Cannon Wilhoit 12th place: Nathan Brown 13th place: Colton Westfall Total Sophie Sturges: $3,650 Casey Jo Stevens: $2,550 Lawson Brown: $1,050 Wyatt Stevens: $850 Austin Hendrickson: $700 Dacota Higgins: $650 Maddie Boyd: $650 Nathan Brown: $550 Kaden Brown: $500 Aris Barrientez: $450 Baylee Lamb: $450 Colton Westfall: $350 Cannon Wilhoit: $350 We would like to thank all exhibitors who participated in our inaugural JABGA National Show Meat Goat Related Posts