Members of the American Boer Goat Association, As I step into my new role as your President for our Association, I am humbled to have this opportunity to say a few words. We are in unprecedent times, and I can reassure you I will do my best moving this association forward. I would like to start with working with the rest of the Board of Directors on finding the right person to fill the Regions that are currently not represented. I do ask for grace as I navigate my new role. Please be patient with me and the rest of the Board as we become a better team for you. Thank you for this opportunity! Rosalinda Vizina ABGA President Region 1

An open Board meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 7:00 PM CST. All ABGA members are welcome to attend. Click the link to attend the meeting on Microsoft Teams: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MzNhMDBkZDEtZTgzNC00OGEzLWI3N2MtZjc4ZGM5YjQwNjUx%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22fed4f284-15a6-44a6-8445-aa897c45f9e1%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22432da0b6-39cf-4380-9336-05d3b757eb52%22%7d You can also find board meeting dates and meeting links on our Events Calendar on our homepage . At the Annual Summer Board of Directors Face-to-Face meeting, the ABGA Board of Directors approved a motion to allow members to view monthly Board meetings for a trial period of 6 months.

With the new year quickly approaching, it's time to renew your ABGA membership. Renew before January 1 to be a member in good standing. Members in good standing will have voting rights for new board members, can run for a Board of Directors seat, and actively participate in changes to the Bylaws. You have until December 31 to renew your membership and be a member in good standing. You may still renew any time after December 31, but you will not have the same privileges as a member in good standing. *If you are missing JABGA accounts under your main account, please contact the ABGA office before renewing your account. Check out step-by-step instructions for renewing your ABGA membership. Login to your iCompete account. From your dashboard you will see a prompt to renew your membership. Click the Renew Membership button. You should now see your membership, the year you are renewing for, and Adult Membership listed as the Membership Type. If you have affiliated members, or Junior members you would like to renew, you will see them listed under Additional Memberships. Toggle Yes to select and renew additional memberships. * If you do not see a Junior account listed, please contact the office before you renew your Adult Membership. Agree to the terms and click continue. Confirm your renewal and payment details. *You will need to pay any outstanding balance in or to renew your membership. If you have an outstanding balance, you will see it listed here. Click Proceed to Payment to enter your credit card details. Enter your credit card details and click Pay Now to complete your membership renewal. Prefer to mail in your renewal? Download the fillable PDF renewal form by clicking the link below:

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.

I first got into the goat world and stepped into the ring for the first time when I was around two years old. I had no clue what I was doing, but I held on to the end of the show lead and helped my gammo show that doe the best I could. Since that moment I have never looked back, and I took off and ran with goats. All the kids I went to school with growing up were interested and passionate about sports, but my heart and passion lay with the goats and the show ring. Every chance I got I was at the ranch with my grandparents doing whatever needed to be done around the barn.   The older I got the more passionate I became about the Boer goat industry. I wanted to go to every show I could in order to work on my showmanship skills and to continue to better my herd and show string. By doing this I met so many amazing people and built a goat community across multiple states. Looking back when I was younger, I was just as passionate to help the youngers kids and watch them succeed as I am now. As I grew older, that passion just kept burning brighter and brighter, and I wanted to become more involved within the industry.     The show community we have in California is a very tight knit group, and I have grown up showing with the kids within that community. I am one of the oldest junior members, and I have always wanted to set a good example for the younger members. This is where I really started to want to be more involved in JABGA so I could help more junior members. I have always been a helping hand, and people know that they can trust me to help with their kids or animals.    In 2022 I applied to be on the Board of Directors for the JABGA, which was another way for me to become more involved and fulfill my passion for this association. Luckily, I was able to become a director and representative for JABGA Area 1. My first year on the Board of Directors I ran for an officer position to really show my passion and commitment to the association and its members. My second year on the board I was elected Vice President.  Fast forward to the present in 2024 I reapplied to be on the Board of Directors, and luckily, I got reelected to be a director. I also was nominated and elected to be the President of JABGA. Looking back now my younger self would be so proud of how far I have come in this industry and the experiences and opportunities I have had all thanks to Boer goats and I wouldn’t have it any other way!    Learn more about Madison Reis.

Are you an experienced livestock judge, or have what it takes to be an ABGA Certified Judge? Sign up today! Location:  Lakeville, Indiana Dates:  November 1 - 3, 2024 Your trainer judges are: Josh Taylor Jesse Kimmel Randall White Catherine Riley Bailey Bergherm (Alternate) Overview Effective January 1, 2009 all ABGA certified Judges must be an active ABGA member to judge ABGA Sanctioned shows or perform inspections. Applicant must be at least 21 years of age to participate. A $50 non-refundable fee is due at submission. If selected, an additional $350 will be due at least 30 days prior to the Judges Certification Program. ABGA will send an invoice for the additional $350 fee.  No refunds will be issued. The ABGA Judges Certification Program can only accommodate 40 judge candidates. This is not a training program. Applicants should have prior knowledge of the ABGA Breed Standards, livestock evaluation, and reasons. Selected candidates will be contacted prior to the program. Applications are due before October 1, 2024, 11:59 PM CST. We will post more information as it becomes available.

To our valued members and participants,   We would like to extend our sincerest apologies for the unexpected change in venue for the upcoming ABGA National Show. Due to unforeseen financial circumstances, we find it necessary to move our event back to the familiar grounds of Louisville, KY, for May 30 - June 7 th , 2025. We understand that this change may cause inconvenience, and we humbly request your understanding of why this change was necessary.   Our commitment to providing an exceptional experience for our members remains unwavering, and we look forward to welcoming you to Louisville.   Sincerely,    ABGA Board of Directors

Dear ABGA members, It is with great excitement that I write this letter to you as the newly named Executive Director for the Association. I am humbled to have been selected by the board of directors to help lead the organization forward in the future and look forward to the growth and opportunities that are in front of us. As you may have read in my bio, I have spent my entire life in Agriculture and this industry is truly my passion. As executive director, it is my duty to lead the organization forward by implementing the strategic plan developed by the board and have a vision for growth and progress that will lead us into the future. My goal will be that each and every decision that is made by myself and the board of directors will be done so with the greater good of the association in mind and find the solutions that best benefits the breed and association members as a whole. First and foremost, my duty will be to serve you as members and ensure that your needs are being met – and this rightfully is the first pillar of the strategic plan. This includes ensuring we have a strong office staff that has the resources necessary to provide members with needed services in an efficient manner. While each of you have a regional representative on the board of directors that I encourage you to communicate with and build a relationship with, know that I am available to discuss issues and opportunities with every member of the association. My goal will be to meet as many of you as possible and understand how the association can help your individual operation. Whether your goal is the showring, raising seedstock, a commercial focus or another niche, your operation and goals will be valued. The second pillar of the association’s strategic plan is youth development. Under the direction of Hannah Jenkins, the JABGA is on a great trajectory, and I will work alongside her to continue to grow and develop opportunities for our youth. Without a strong set of young leaders and motivated JABGA members, our association will not see growth in the coming years. Our young people are literally our future, and we must do our part to motivate, encourage and involve them in the association. I also have a strong vision for developing new and progressive opportunities for the breed and this association. This will include helping to grow the use of DNA, continuing research and develop partnerships with academia and industry stakeholders, writing and securing grant funding for projects that will directly benefit members, and developing marketing strategies that will increase consumer awareness and develop brand recognition for the American Boer Goat. I am a firm believer that complacency is the death of good organizations, and if we aren’t moving forward, then we are falling behind. I am optimistic that the association is in a great position to build on its great history and strong membership base by focusing on growth and capitalizing on opportunities and new technologies that will set ourselves up for success in the coming years.   I look forward to serving you and this membership. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments or concerns at any point in time. Sincerely, Caleb Boardman   Executive Director  307-250-2298  View Caleb Boardman's Bio

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!

When a registered goat is sold, it needs to be transferred to the buyer and the transfer must be documented with the ABGA before its offspring can be registered. The original Registration Certificate, signed by the current owner(s), must be sent to the ABGA for the transfer to be processed. The owner(s) listed at the time of sale are accountable for completing the ABGA transfer in full. An Application for Transfer must include the following details: Name, address, and, if available, membership number of each transferee along with the Date of sale. Service date, natural or artificial, and registration number of the buck, if the animal has been serviced (bred). Signature and Membership Number of the individual(s), partnership, corporation, or other legal entity in whose name the service buck is registered. Information on whether females have been serviced naturally or artificially inseminated. If the doe has been serviced by a buck not owned by the breeder, a completed and signed Service Memo from the buck owner is required. Transfer applications will not be processed if any necessary data is missing. Transfer of ownership should be completed on the back of an ABGA registration certificate or ABGA approved transfer form. If the original certificate is not available, a statement confirming its location is needed. Any change in ownership of an animal used for registered breeding purposes must be officially recorded with the Association by transfer. Missing transfers may incur a fee. For animals not registered with ABGA, both registration and transfer fees will be applicable. Tampered or altered certificates, and mistakes In case the certificate is tampered with, one of these steps must be taken: Provide a letter or email from the seller confirming the date of sale along with the buyer's name. For instance: I, John Doe confirm the sale of Bob the Boer, reg # 10900000, sold to Jane Doe on 6/28/2024. Provide a Bill of Sale containing identifying details of the goat bought from the seller. ACCEPTABLE: Bob the Goat, reg # 1090000, sold to John Doe on 6/28/2024. UNACCEPTABLE: Black buck sold to John Doe. The use of correction fluid (White Out) or any other medium invalidates ABGA Certificates of Registration. This includes transfer information written on the reverse side of the certificate. You may "correct" mistakes in the Transfer portion (back) of a Certificate with a single line through the mistake and your initials. See examples below:

Chicken Bacon Ranch Farmstead, located in Eland, Wisconsin, is owned and operated by Ashley and Christopher Voelz, along with their three children: Clayton, Claire, and Harper. The small, family-run farm specializes in raising ABGA registered Boer goats, market hogs, produce, and specialty cut flowers. In addition to the diverse range of products and animals raised on the farm, Chicken Bacon Ranch Farmstead is heavily involved in agritourism. The farm hosts several on farm events each year. “With greater generations removed from the farm, transparency in animal agriculture and education have never been more vital,” says Ashley, “Visitors can get a glimpse of life on the farm and ask questions about our stewardship, animals, and products.” Wisconsin's harsh winter weather can be challenging for Chicken Bacon Ranch, so the farm utilizes barn cameras, heat barrels, and deep bedded straw in their barns to ensure a successful kidding season, cater to their market of show animals, ethnic holidays, and to avoid frostbite and respiratory illness the cold conditions may cause to their young animals. The Voelz’ also have two heated areas in their barn that they use for their does and kids in emergency situations. Animal health and nutrition are the top priorities for Chicken Bacon Ranch Farmstead. They work closely with their vet and feed mill to create a custom plan for their farm and keep records of all vaccinations, health events, and weight checks for every goat. This information helps them make better decisions on management, feeding, and genetics, and provides buyers with an animal's history. Ashley's job as an animal nutritionist led her to become interested in the Boer breed. She and Christopher bought their first registered stock in 2019 after seeing their fast growth potential, marketability, and gentle disposition while consulting on a farm. Since then, they have been continually improving their herd of 30 breeding does and bucks. Earlier this fall, their son Clayton received the Boer Goat Nation Youth Scholarship, which they used to purchase two doelings to expand Clayton's goat project. This not only brought in different genetics to utilize, but also created many friendships and fueled a young man’s dream. Ashley and Christopher's advice for those beginning in this industry is to be intentional with their goals and adjust them as they go along. “Progress is never static, and evolving plans are part of the process.” They also recommend finding successful mentors, veterinarians, and nutritionists, as well as buying good stock. Lastly, they emphasize the importance of animal health and nutrition, keeping meticulous records, and testing annually for diseases to make better decisions on management, feeding, and genetics. Visit Chicken Bacon Ranch Farmstead at: chickenbaconranchfarmstead.squarespace.com

A properly completed and signed Embryo Transfer Report shall be submitted with each application for registration of kids resulting from that particular embryo flush. - Rule 503 A. While our office staff is trained to enter your flush paperwork, and are happy to help, we are not embryologists. To ensure all required fields are submitted, and to avoid any delays to your paperwork, we ask that you use our standardized Embryo Transfer/Flush form. Did you sell or purchase frozen embryos or recipient does? Remember to provide a signed and completed Embryo Ownership Transfer form. You can find all ABGA forms at abga.org/forms *Online registrations from a purchased embryo or recip are currently not fully functional on iCompete. If you purchased embryos or a recip, please send all paperwork and registration applications to the ABGA office via mail, email, or our contact page .