With glittering earrings, a sparkling belt, a pressed pinstriped shirt and a ponytail, 9-year-old Reagan Ritchey of Brighton looked great Thursday.
But all eyes were on the 63-pound goat Gromit she held by the collar in the middle of a small arena at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo.
Gromit had earned a second- place ribbon in the preliminary round for lightweights in the Junior Meat Goat Show for exhibitors ages 9-18. – saving the animal from the slaughterhouse, at least for the moment.
Judge Marvin Ensor announced over a microphone to 300 hushed spectators that he liked Gromit’s strong, level topline and high-boned, well-muscled loin, words that spread a smile across Reagan’s face. A roar from the crowd erupted as Ensor pointed to the ribbon winners.
“I couldn’t sleep last night. I was afraid I was going to lose Gromit,” Reagan said later, relieved by her goat’s reprieve.
It’s hard for a 9-year-old not to fall in love with an animal she raises and names. Since September, Reagan and her 11-year-old sister, Ryanne, have haltered their 6- month-old goats and taken them for daily quarter-mile runs to build strength and muscle tone. They’ve spent hours with their goats practicing the brace, which is the muscle pose of the goat world.
“One day I spent a half day with him just talking to him,” Reagan said. “When he gets his work done, I hug him and tell him, ‘Good job.”‘
For Reagan, Ryanne, their six cousins and 130 other exhibitors from nine states, all the work and love over the past five months led to this day.
By day’s end, 15-year-old Taylor Morgan of Stephenville, Texas, was declared the grand champion for his 93-pounder, Lucky. His goat and five other finalists will advance to the televised goat sale Jan. 20, when they will fetch $10,000 to $12,000. Taylor says he’ll use the money for a dirt bike. His mother says he’ll use it for his college education.
The other goats returned market price (89-90 cents a pound) and were sent to slaughter.
As Gromit’s final hours ticked away, Reagan tried to put on a stellar face – but couldn’t.
“I don’t want to take Gromit to the (slaughter) truck,” she said quietly.
“The first one is always hard, but you never stop crying,” said Reagan’s mother, Cate. “I still cry. But there are positives. It helps the children have a healthy respect for the animal and the industry as a business. They’re learning to make a profit.”
The girls spent time with their goats in the pens before leading them to the slaughter truck. But there were no tears until they returned with empty halters.
“It’s hard because the animals you love are being taken away from you,” Ryanne said. “It really hurts. It’s just hard coming back with an empty halter and no cute goat face to put in it. You get up there by the truck and you just want to turn around.”
“You know that goat is gone and you’re not going to see that goat again,” Reagan said.
But in two months the Ritchey girls will each get another skinny, mannerless goat they will learn to love – and they’ll start all over again for the summer county fair.
Staff writer Dave Curtin can be reached at 303-820-1276 or dcurtin@denverpost.com.
