The Goes traveled over 300 miles to Fort Worth for the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo (FWSSR), to display their abilities in the show ring.  

“I was nervous at first,” sophomore Braileigh Goe said. “I had seen some of those lambs walking around, and I thought they looked way better than mine.” 

Even though they were ready for what was coming, they still had a few more details to acquire to. 

“We were in the wash rack washing all these class 1 and 2 crosses, and they were already calling for class 3 finewool,” parent Kayla Goe said. “We all started freaking out thinking we didn’t have enough time. When we got back up to the pens, we found out that class 1 finewool wasn’t even in the ring yet.” 

With nerves on edge, the Goes were doing all they could to be sure everything was perfect. 

“My cross would not lose his extra weight,” B. Goe said. “I only needed him to lose a couple more pounds. That’s what really made me anxious.” 

In the ring, if a lamb gets pulled, the lamb runs across a set of scales. If the lamb is 5 lbs. more or less than the weight it was turned in at, they get disqualified. If they make it past weight, depending on the breed of the lamb, they are classified by 3 classifiers who determine if the breed is what claimed to be.  

“Whenever I would weigh him before the show, his weight was still too much. Come to find out, it was because he wouldn’t pee,” B. Goe said. “He finally peed right before we went in and was just fine. When I got pulled, he was only 2 lbs. over what I turned him in at. I was so happy.”

Goe worked her way to the top, earning 5th of 37 in her class.

“I knew I wasn’t going to win the class, the winners were beastly,” B. Goe said. 

With Sunday being a success for the Goes, they still had Monday left to get through. 

“Monday was way more chaotic,” parent Kayla Goe said. “There were even more blacks than breed sheep and the line for the wash rack was almost all the way to the ring.” 

Braileigh and Reiner were back-to-back in classes, with Reiner in class 2 and Braileigh in class 3. 

“Reiner tried his hardest, he just wasn’t quite what the judge was looking for,” K. Goe said. “We kind of knew Braileigh wasn’t going to win her class, she had some killer lambs in her class, that and her lamb wouldn’t walk at all.” 

Although Braileigh had some challenges, she still managed to place 20th of 107, barely reaching a premium spot. 

“It’s not just about winning, and I love to win,” B. Goe said. “But it’s about the responsibility and the hard work and the time that we put into these animals, and just knowing I tried my best even though I didn’t win or even place all that high, that’s what it’s about.”