draws 140 entries, adds new division
The agricultural show season kicked off in Bandera with the Bandera Angora Goat Show on Saturday, Dec. 13. The event attracted 140 entries and introduced a new category of competition for the 2025 season.
The show was organized by noted Angora ranchers Bonnie and Dale Naumann of Medina.
Goats competed in classes for buck kids, doe kids, yearling bucks, yearling does, aged bucks and aged does. This year, a wether division was added, allowing neutered male goats to compete in lightweight, medium weight and heavy weight categories. In some divisions, Angoras were shown in hair and judged both before and after shearing.
Winners in the buck kid division were Ryder Ward in first place, Kelbi Blesing in second and Rylynn Ward in third. In the doe kid division, Rylynn Ward placed first, followed by Kelbi Blesing in second and Ryder Ward in third.
In the yearling buck class, Bridgette Wilde placed first and second, with Kelbi Blesing earning third. The yearling doe division was led by Kelbi Blesing in first place, Trey Evans in second and Bridgette Wilde in third.
Kelbi Blesing earned first place in the aged buck division, followed by Bridgette Wilde in second and Rylynn Ward in third. In the aged doe class, Ryder Ward placed first, Kelbi Blesing second and Bridgette Wilde third.
The lightweight wether division was won by Rylynn Ward, with Ryder Ward placing second and Leif Jacoby third. Jackson Feild earned first place in the medium weight wether division, followed by Ryder Ward in second and Roper Ward in third. In the heavy weight wether division, Miley Evans placed first, Rylynn Ward second and Roper Ward third.
Jackson Feild was named Grand Champion Wether in the medium weight division, while Miley Evans received Reserve Champion Wether honors in the heavy weight division.
Show champions for 2025, each receiving a buckle, included Champion Registered White Buck (Kid) Bridgette Wilde; Reserve Champion Registered White Buck (Yearling) Bridgette Wilde; Champion Registered White Doe (Kid) Rylynn Ward; Reserve Champion Registered White Doe (Yearling) Kelbi Blesing; Grand Champion Goat of the Show (Yearling) Bridgette Wilde; Reserve Grand Champion Goat of the Show (Doe Kid) Rylynn Ward; Champion Wether Jackson Feild; and Reserve Champion Wether Miley Evans.
Additional awards were presented for Junior Showmanship to Bridgette Wilde, Senior Showmanship to Brenna Wilde, No. 1 Handler to Mica Powell, Premier Exhibitor to Kelbi Blesing and Sportsmanship to Ryder Ward.
A total of 11 buckles were awarded during the show.
Bonnie Naumann said community support was essential to the success of the event.
“We could not do this show without all the donors that are willing to support our show,” Naumann said.
Donors for the 2025 Bandera Angora Goat Show included Will and Becky Allison Ranch, in memory of Kaila Blesing of Rocksprings; SOB Construction, Clint and Leigh Lewis of Harper; Naumann Angoras of Bandera; the Kocurek Family of Bandera; Raegan and Julie Mazurek of Bandera; Callie Herring of Briggs; Stacy and Michiele Kendrick of Bandera; Wilis Pember of Bandera; Raab Plumbing of Fredericksburg; Jana Lindig of Bandera; Blesing Angoras of Sonora; Frank and Fayrene Craddock of Medina; CWC Ranch, Corbin Crenwelge of Sonora; Edmiston Ranch of Voca; Waldean, Red and Kyle Groff of Kerrville; Callie and Mary Alice Herring of Briggs; Jad Davis of Midland and the Mohair Council of America; Layton Powell of Burnet; the American Angora Goat Breeders Association; Barbara and George Sharman of Bandera; Jacoby Ranch of Fredericksburg; Undner Feed and Milling of Comfort; Sonny Sansom of Leakey; John Justice of Harrah, Oklahoma; Allied AG of Stonewall; TAGRA c/o Lisa Edmiston of Voca; Lanny Leinweber of Mountain Home; Lloyd and Barbara Kneese, in memory of Fay Naumann, of Harper; Junction Warehouse Company of Junction; Sonora Warehouse of Sonora; and ACAGR-CAGBA c/o Tracy Ross of Harper.
The Bandera Angora Goat Show is a longstanding tradition in the community. Competitors were dressed for the occasion and confidently led and positioned their animals for judging.
Parents lined the show rings and gathered behind the stands to watch and discuss their children’s performances. The Angoras alternated between calm cooperation and more spirited behavior, which exhibitors managed with skill and occasional assistance from ring helpers.
Judges waited patiently as exhibitors brought animals into position, then examined each goat for conformation and quality. Judges discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each entry, giving competitors an educational experience and reinforcing the skills needed to raise competitive animals.
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