Showing Your Goat

Whatever your reasons for raising and keeping goats, you may decide at some point that you’d like to enter your goat in a judged competition. The information below will give you an idea of what the judges will be looking for and what you can expect from the show.

Sample Scorecard

This scorecard will give you an idea of what the judges will be looking when they examine your goat. Take notice of the point distribution–you’ll want to focus on choosing a goat that will score well in the sections that have high point values.

Breed Standards

The American Dairy Goat Association recognizes 8 breeds of goats: Alpine, LaMancha, Nigerian Dwarf, Nubian, Oberhasli, Saanen, Sable, and Toggenburg. For each of these breeds, a list of “Breed Standards” tells you what characteristics an “ideal” animal will possess.

Where to Show

Check our events calendar for state and regional shows. You can also contact your local 4-H club or county fair to find out about shows they might be hosting.