Coleman Sisters Win Big at Blaine County Stock Show

Watonga’s FFA chapter had students compete in the Blaine County Stock Show last week with many of them coming out victorious.

Watonga FFA had six of the nine grand and reserve grand champions last week and a total of 12 grand and reserve grand champions.

Two of those victorious students were sisters Riley Coleman, a senior who won Grand Doe Goat, and Reese Coleman, an eighth=grader, who won grand wether lamb, reserve wether lamb, and reserve wether goat.

The Republican had the chance to ask both sisters a couple of questions about their stock show experience this year:

What got you into doing stock shows?

Riley: We had goats at the house and then we found out about showing. We had some people in town that showed and told us that we should try it. So, we did and from then, we've gotten more into it. It's just something that's fun to do, so we just kept with it.

What was it like to win?

Riley: It was pretty special because I had never won at our County show before. Especially since it's my senior year, it was really special, because I got to have that feeling before I was done with my showing career. It was really cool because we did raise that goat from our house. All the rest of our goats we had bought, but that goat we actually had raised from our house and to see it win was really cool.

Reese: It was cool because I hadn’t won that many things all at one show. This is actually my first year to show sheep and to win it was really special.

What do you like the most about showing?

Riley: I like seeing the work you put into your animals over however long you have that animal just pay off. Then, it's also really nice to be around the people. It's such a close group of people that show, so you have all the support from them, too. They're all cheering you on, even if you're competing against each other, but just winning and seeing your hard work with your animal pay off is a really good feeling.

Reese: I like seeing the hard work pay off, and it's really fun to just go out with all your livestock and get them ready for a show.

What motivates you when preparing for the stock shows?

Riley: My dad helps me a lot with the showing and he does a lot of the work with us. Then my sister really loves to do it so seeing her passion for it has kind of helped me stick with it through all the years, just because it's not always been my favorite thing to do. Her working with it and helping her work with it has helped me stick with it and see it through until my senior year. It has been an enjoyable experience and I'm glad I stuck with it throughout high school.

Reese: I look up to my sister because she's the one who started showing. I've always loved them, all the goats. My ag teacher has been a big influence for me. Then Skylar Cox has also helped me with my sheep. She's the one who started me with my sheep this year, and she's helped me a lot.

Has COVID affected the way things work with stock shows?

Riley: Last March, we were at a big stock show in Oklahoma City and because of COVID, they canceled one of my shows. We wanted to make sure we got our animals shown, and there was a pig show that ended up being scheduled. I showed my pigs at 3 a.m. that morning. The rule was that by the next day, at a certain time, we had to be out of there so people put the pig show together that night. I showed at 3, and I don't think the show was over until like 5 or something crazy like that.

How do you see any upcoming shows going? Are you excited? Nervous?

Riley: I'm excited. This is some of the best livestock that I've had in my career. I'm excited to see how they do against more animals in these bigger shows. It's looking promising to place in your class and hopefully do really well.

Reese: I'm nervous, but I'm also excited to see how my goats, sheep, and pigs do.

How has it been trying to balance school and doing the stock show events?

Riley: It's difficult sometimes just because you have to put a lot of work into the animals. You also have to balance sports and school and things like that. Just really setting aside time in your day to make sure you work with them. Every day they have to be fed. Every morning before school I wake up extra early and in the evenings I make time to do that. Then also just walking them and working with them. You have to set time aside for that just like you have to do for homework or anything like that.

Reese: Every weekend is the main time I work with my animals. I try to get all my homework and everything done right after school, and then go out and work with them. Then athletics, it's hard in the summer when we have cross country during the day and stuff.

Anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Riley: Just a thank you to Miss Flanders because she's been a lot of help with the season and throughout my FFA career. She's really helped me a lot.

Reese: I'd like to thank my ag teacher for keeping me going. As well as my parents and grandparents for giving their time to me and helping me with my livestock.