Adult Fitting Competition Saturday Night June 8th Open to anyone $150 for each 2 person team Half of the proceeds go to JABGA, other half go to winning team. People’s choice will also be awarded! Rules: The objective of this contest is to gain the ability to work with a team to enhance the show ring performance of the groomed animal. Each team will consist of no more than TWO INDIVIDUALS. Each team will be responsible for bringing a goat to use in the competition. Animals can be pre-clipped and need to be washed and dried, but no products are allowed on the animal upon entering the competition. All animals will be checked for products before entering the competition area. Each team must provide their own fitting equipment. Once the contest begins, no team member may leave the area and no additional equipment may be brought into the fitting area. All team members and equipment must be in place at least 5 minutes prior to the start of the contest. Each team will be allowed 20 minutes to fit their animal. ALL FITTING TECHNIQUES MUST BE WITHIN THE ACCEPTED PRACTICES OF THE AMERICAN BOER GOAT ASSOCIATION’S SANCTIONED SHOW RULES. Judge will circulate and question participants during the 30 minutes. Points will be awarded as follows: Ability to fit- 25 points. Participation of each team member - 10 points. Organization of supplies & equipment - 5 points. Overall effect - 5 points. Knowledge & response to questions - 5 points.

Attending the 2024 ABGA & JABGA National Show? Can you sing? Want to lead a prayer? We are taking signups for National Anthem singers and Prayer Leads to sing the National Anthem and/or give a daily prayer each morning of the show. All ages are welcome! Click the button below to sign up!

We are honored and humbled to be selected by our peers as this year’s Ambassador of the Breed. Of all the ribbons, trophies, banners, and titles received through the years, this honor you bestow will be our most cherished. We are Sue and Terry Taylor, and we live in Smyer, Texas, where we own and operate Windy Acres Boers. We have been married for 30 years, are Native West Texans and have three children and three grandchildren. Some 25 years ago, we bought our first goats for our son’s FFA project to show at the county show. Later, we met Darwin McLeod and bought his 12 head of Fullblood registered goats, including a Mojo Magic son and a Pipeline daughter. We will miss Darwin’s knowledge and sense of humor. This industry has given us the unique ability to help young people with their projects and exhibitions, stay in touch with the many friends we have made, and share knowledge of the breed that others have taken the time to do with us. We take a lot of pride in these animals and are humbled by our success; it is a passion that gets in your blood. We have had a tremendous amount of help along the way from great friends, but a few sort of stick out. We went to our first show in Goldthwaithe, TX, where we met Wayne Ables. Wayne could see we needed a lot of help, and for years thereafter, he taught us everything he knew about goats.  At that show, we heard the words “flush” and “AI,” which led us to know John and Jackie Edwards. John & Jackie continued to teach and mentor us in the breeding and production aspect of the breed, and with our first flush to Cannon, set the foundation of our program. Later, we met Dr. Robert Dressler, who, with his expertise, helped teach us to develop the marketing side of the business that introduced our program to the industry.  Last yet most importantly, we thank Floyd and LuDean Taylor, Terry’s parents, for their help and support. Success is determined by those whom you surround yourself with. Everything we have accomplished regarding success in production, the show or sale ring, was because of help along the way, and many individuals have helped us forge our path. We have always done our best to repay that and be remembered as givers to those who asked. Again, thank you for this honor!

Anton Ward, a seasoned livestock judge and agricultural expert, was born and raised in the province of Tranvaal, now known as Limpopo Province, in South Africa. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Animal Science from Pretoria Technicon, which laid the foundation for his extensive career in livestock judging and animal husbandry. Anton moved to the United States in 1993, initially settling in North Carolina, where he lived until 2014 before relocating to Southwest Missouri, where he currently resides.+ Anton has been judging livestock since 1988, a passion that has seen him traverse numerous arenas across the United States and Canada. His expertise in the field led to his involvement with the American Boer Goat Association (ABGA) from its inception. Over the years, Anton has judged many major livestock shows, demonstrating his profound knowledge and commitment to the industry. His skills and experience have also been instrumental in training most of the early Canadian judges and many in the U.S., ensuring high standards and consistency in livestock judging. Notably, Anton has judged the prestigious ABGA National Show seven times, with his eighth appearance slated for 2024. In addition to raising Boer goats, Anton has also been dedicated to raising beef cattle since 2003. His lifelong dedication to livestock, combined with his extensive experience and training, makes Anton Ward a respected and influential figure in the agricultural community.

Wade Rogers is from Fort White, Florida. He is married to Stephanie and they have two daughters, Amber and Jaylyn.  Together they own Rogers Livestock, where they raise registered Boer goats as well as registered Charolais cattle. Wade and his family have been involved in the goat industry since 2016 raising and showing both registered and market goats. Wade has been the Boer Goat superintendent at the Florida State Fair since 2019. He is also part of the show committee that puts on the Fall Spooktacular show, an annual jackpot show that is the largest multi-species show in Florida. This will be the third year he has been to the ABGA Nationals show, and he is looking forward to working with all the exhibitors to make it one of the best Nationals yet.

Hi I’m Kensey! I’m from a small town in South Carolina, right above Clemson University. My family and I started in goats in 2013, and moved our focus to ABGA registered stock in 2016. You can catch me at a show or sale on the weekends, or at home doing chores around the farm! I’m looking for to seeing and meeting everyone!

My name is Elizabeth Westfall, and I reside in Vincennes, IN, with my husband, Zach, and son, Colton. I have worked in public safety and government for the last 20 years. I currently work for the Indiana State Department of Health as a financial analyst, Good Samaritan Hospital as a grant coordinator, and Vincennes University as a professor of Homeland Security. As you can tell from that last statement, I enjoy staying busy and am dedicated to helping others. Our farm has been raising Boer goats for the last five years, and we have grown from a 4-H project of 2 goats to over 35 goats. One of my passions is helping youth and providing education. This year, I was fortunate enough to assist with the inaugural Goat Con event in Indiana, which provided education and training to over 200 participants through the Indiana Boer Goat Association. I am currently volunteering as a co-youth coordinator for the organization. In 2023, I assisted with the ABGA/JABGA National Show, where I contributed to organizing vendors, the invitational sale, and working with facility management. This year, I will be enhancing my contribution to the event as the Barn Superintendent, a role I am honored to serve in for 2024. I'm excited about the upcoming ABGA/JABGA National Show in Louisville, KY. I want to make this an excellent experience for all exhibitors and their families. Nationals is a great time for all of us to come together as an industry and celebrate our accomplishments. I encourage everyone to reflect on what it took to get here and make it an excellent event for everyone involved.

“Judging the National Open Show is a bucket list moment,” said ABGA member Jesse Kimmel. Not only is this a tremendous honor for Jesse, he also feels fortunate to be voted in as a judge. Jesse said he’s excited to judge and share his opinion on the best goats in the country. “I will be looking for a goat that checks all the boxes,” Jesse explained. “They must be sound, stout, have muscle, have a great look, and meet breed standards.” Jesse brings years of experience to his role of National Open Show Judge. In addition to judging goats, hogs, cattle, and sheep all across the United States, he judged the 2017 JABGA National Show and was a National Show Superintendent from 2018 to 2021. A graduate of Wilmington College, Jesse is an Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor at East Noble High School in Kendallville, Ind. and an Adjunct Professor at Huntington University. In addition to raising fullblood and wether Boer goats, he owns Kimmel Showpigs, which raises multiple breeds of showpigs that compete from coast to coast. Jesse said he’s raised multiple National Swine Registry and Certified Pedigreed Swine National Sires of the Year as well as the only National Swine Registry 2-time National Champion Duroc Gilt. Jesse’s other bucket list items include judging in all 50 states as well as judging abroad. We’re glad he’ll get to check Nebraska off the list at our 2022 National Show!

Jesse Kimmel has been selected as one of three 2024 ABGA and JABGA National Show Superintendents. With extensive experience judging goats, hogs, cattle, and sheep, Jesse is no stranger to the show world, or the ABGA and JABGA National Show. As an agricultural teacher and FFA advisor at East Noble High School (Kendallville, Ind.), as well as an adjunct professor of agriculture at Huntington University (Huntington, Ind.), Jesse has a wealth of knowledge to draw upon. Jesse's personal experience at ABGA and JABGA National Shows is impressive, having judged the 2017 JABGA National Open Show in Grand Island, Neb., and then judged the ABGA National Open Show there again in 2022. According to Jesse, it was "a bucket list moment" to share his opinion and judge the best Boer goats in the country. Jesse was also a National Show Superintendent in Grand Island from 2018 to 2021. Jesse's expertise extends beyond judging. He raises Fullblood Boer goats and market wethers, and also owns Kimmel Show Pigs. He has raised multiple National Swine Registry National Sires of the Year and Certified Pedigreed Swine National Sires of the Year – and the only National Swine Registry Two-Time National Champion Duroc Gilt in history. Despite his diverse experience with various species, Boer goats and ABGA still hold a special place in Jesse’s heart.

Ryan Rash is from Crockett, Texas and grew up showing every species of livestock. During his junior show career he exhibited 13 Grand or Reserve Grand Champion Steers at major livestock shows all over the United States. Rash graduated from Texas A&M University and was a member of the National Champion Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Team. During his collegiate judging careers he was in the top 10 individuals and in the top 10 of Oral reasons at every contest he entered and was the high point individual at 5 contests. He is a co star of the Beyond The Ring Podcast, the Executive Director of the Beyond The Ring Junior Livestock Association and he owns and operates SBCC, a cattle company and consulting firm. He and his family have a club calf operation as well as a purebred Charolais and Hereford operation. He has judged every species of livestock at shows from the local to major show level throughout the US in 47 states, Canada and Mexico.

Nick Hammett, along with his wife Rebekah, son Cole, and daughter Lauren, make their home in Ashland, Missouri. Seeking a family activity in the livestock industry, they started as COLA Show Goats in 2013 raising and showing ABGA registered goats around the country. In 2020 they re-branded themselves as Hammett Showstock, focusing on raising wethers and commercial show doe prospects. After obtaining degrees from the University of Missouri and Colorado State University, Nick has spent his career in the beef industry. Nick currently works for Neogen, marketing beef cattle genomic testing. He particularly enjoys assisting producers in turning data into sustainable and profitable management decisions and hopes to assist the goat industry in developing those same opportunities. Nick Judged the ABGA National Open show in 2018, the National Market and Commercial Doe show in 2021 and the first two ABGA National Carcass contests in 2022 and 2023.

Tom and Jackie Redden own Redden Brothers Livestock in Norman, Indiana. Redden Brothers Livestock is a 60 plus year registered Hereford operation. They added Boer goats approximately 17 years ago. Tom and Jackie run approximately 200 head, placing goats from coast to coast. One of the many blessings for them is to see their customers succeed in the show ring, as well as production with RBMG goats. Tom and Jackie are very proud of their three son's, as well as their three daughters in law, all of which are still very involved in the cattle and Boer goat business. They have 8 grandchild that complete The Redden Clan. Their favorite pastime is watching the next generation of Reddens at sporting events and livestock shows.