Cinnamon butted her head through the tiny gap of her gate, trying to nudge her owner, 11-year-old Ronin Lindsted.  

The 4-H kid offered her a crooked smile.  

The Alpine goat is friendly, he said, aside from yesterday’s brawl. Cinnamon and her neighbor, Coco, had butted heads over a food bucket, which left one horn bleeding.  

“I wasn’t there,” Ronin said. “I just got there in the morning, and my 4-H leader gave me a wet wipe and told me to wipe her horn.” 

This is his third year entering livestock competitions at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo, but his first time entering the goat show.  

“I’m feeling pretty good,” he said. “I’m also helping somebody else show a baby [goat].” 

For some 4-H and FFA kids, the goat show on Thursday morning offered a break from the usual high stress of other livestock competitions. There’s no auction for goats at the fair, and the private market for dairy goats has a high demand, said 4-H Leader Tess Brist.  

“The families and the kids have friendlier relationships,” Tess said. “They’re helping each other out.” 

Her daughters, Emma, Madison and Naomi, are also in the goat competition. Emma, 16, had a good run Wednesday, when she ranked among the top five competitors in the beef show — the furthest she’s gotten in senior showmanship.  

“That was pretty special,” Emma said.  

She sat in a chair outside a goat’s pen while a friend braided her hair. Tess dug through a bag on Emma’s lap, cautiously aware of a dark grey goat nipping at her shoulder through the gate. 

“Please don’t bite me,” the mom pleaded as she rummaged through the bag’s contents. 

A chorus of baas from even-toed ungulates echoed inside the Flathead County Fairgrounds Trade Center. Competitors and their parents flurried about with final preparations 20 minutes before the show started.  

But Emma relaxed her shoulders while she kept an eye on the clock. 

“I enjoy how laid back our goat shows are,” she said. “This one’s a great one to just relax. We’re not as serious as all of the other kids.” 

She and her family drove to Kalispell from Kila at 5:30 a.m. to make it to the fairgrounds by 6. The goats are milked twice a day, all the animals are walked for some light exercise and pens are cleaned out every morning. At the end of the day, they return to take care of the animals back home. 

“It gets tiring,” Tess said, with a sleepy smile.  

Report for America Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 406-758-4439 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support. 

    Paige Morrison stands with her goat named Rosita during goat showmanship inside the Trade Center at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo on Thursday, Aug. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider 

    Katie Shea's goat named Rose-Mary bleats during goat showmanship inside the Trade Center at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo on Thursday, Aug. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

  

    Judge Bill Disberger speaks to Paige Morrison about her goat named Rosita during goat showmanship inside the Trade Center at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo on Thursday, Aug. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Miley Fritz, Coy Braaten, Emma Brist and Paige Morrison position their goats during goat showmanship inside the Trade Center at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo on Thursday, Aug. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider