Going into this year’s county fair, Emily Luthringer had modest expectations for how she and her goat, Ms. Babes, would fare during the goat show.

After taking home four trophies Wednesday, including Grand Champion in the non-dairy/doe category, it’s safe to say her performance was anything but modest.

“My goal was to try and place in a good position,” Luthringer said. “I think I accomplished that today.”

The 13-year-old from Dowagiac has received the top accolade from judges at the Cass County Fair once before this year, she said. However, the excitement of grasping the purple championship ribbon was just as strong this time as the last.

“It’s awesome,” Luthringer said. “I haven’t gotten the title in three years, so it feels unbelievable to win it this year.”

Luthringer has been showing goats at the fair for the past seven years, she said. She started
showing after her cousin, Jason, first started participating in 4-H.

“I went to my first showing and got fourth place,” she recalled. “It was like love a first sight.”

Her mother, Kelli, showed horses at the fair when she was young, and has been delighted to see her daughter continue that tradition.

While she has other animals in previous years, this year the eighth-grade student devoted her time and attention to solely her goat, an animal which has she been raising since she first started participating at the fair.

“They’re an easy animal to transport and to feed,” she said.

It’s been pretty hard work to get her goat in top condition for Wednesday’s showing, she said, having to spend several hours a day leading up to the fair trimming its hooves and horns, and grooming its fur. This is on top of the two to four hours she spends feeding, watering and giving dietary supplements to the goat, which she kept at her Aunt Terri’s farm.

With her showing finished, Luthringer said she is looking forward to enjoying the rest of fair week with friends and family.

“It’s one of the best fairs I’ve ever been to,” she said, glancing at her assortment of trophies sitting beside her. “I can’t really complain.”