decatur - Wise County Messenger

2 ALL AROUND WISE, Decatur, Texas, Thursday, March 24, 2011YOUTH FAIR PREVIEWGoats provide rewarding projectBy KRISTEN TRIBESunlight streams throughthe floral café curtains, illuminatinga rainbow of rosettesand banners at thePeters’ home.The walls surroundingtheir wooden kitchen tableare draped in awards — thehaul of champions 17-yearoldAmanda and her Nubiandairy goats.The Boyd 4-H’er only beganshowing goats five yearsago, but in that short time,she’s fostered an award-winningherd and educated othersabout the small animalswith big personalities.“Each goat has a differentpersonality,” Amanda said.“Goats aren’t as mean as(people) think. And they’reactually really clean.”Although she’s gettingready for the Wise CountyYouth Fair next week, shehowed most recently at theouston Livestock Show andodeo, where she won grandnd reserve champion Nuiansenior doe, best in shownd champion senior showanship.She also won second-placeood Herdsman.Her mom, Robyn, saidAmanda took 15 goats tothe major stock show, andher careful attention andhard work in caring for theanimals helped earn her theGood Herdsman recognition.“All of the judges stoppedher and told her how prettyher goats were,” Robyn said.“The volunteers all know her,and some of them said theyschedule their work timeso they can be there whenMessenger photo by Joe DutySENTIMENTAL CONNECTION — Boyd 4-H’er Amanda Peterssaid her favorite things about her dairy goats are their floppyears and their personalities. Above, she stops to greetLovesong, the dam or “grandmother” of the herd. Amandashowed her at her first Youth Fair and won two buckles, onefor showmanship and one for Best of Show.Amanda is showing.”Although she’s known forwinning, that’s not whatdrives Amanda.“She goes out there to havefun,” Robyn said. “We look atit as a blessing if it happens.She enjoys it, but she doesn’thave to win. She’s very laidback.”A blooming businessAmanda and her familymoved to Wise County fromIrving six years ago. The teenjoined 4-H while living in theMetroplex when she was 9,but that club didn’t encourageshowing livestock. Sheparticipated in various activities,including 4-H camps, butdidn’t find her niche until sheentered the goat business.“I was just walking aroundthe Fort Worth Stock Showand fell in love with thegoats,” Amanda said.Robyn said she and herhusband, James, would taketheir daughter to petting zooswith all types of animals.“I'd say, ‘let’s go feed the zebras,’”said Robyn, “and she’dbe feeding the goats. It waskind of cute.”She began asking her parentsfor goats and, like mostkids, was relentless in herrequests. But her parentswanted to make sure she wasserious about the endeavor.“We’re pretty practical, andwe told her she had to writea report and tell us why shewanted goats,” Robyn said.James and Robyn were impressedby the research andthought Amanda put into thepaper, and they agreed to buya goat — Trixie.Trixie was followed byLove Song and her five newbornkids — Butterfly, Red,Jaguar, Amanda Superstar,Dancer and Moon Dancer— the beginnings of a herd.Amanda’s first show wasthe Texas/Oklahoma Fairin 2006, and she won grandchampion.“I didn’t know I won,”Amanda said. “I tried to leavethe ring. I was shocked.”Munn’s Home & AutoAce HardwareHardware 940-433-2321 • Auto 940-433-2322112 S. Hovey, Boyd, TXContinued on page 3We support our youth whoparticipate in theWise County Youth Fair.It is a rewardingexperience!Good LuckYouth Fair Participants!Enjoy the Fair!Left to right:John WinderD.D.S.Paige Winder,D.D.S.Roy KindrickD.D.S., M.S.DTravis CaddellD.D.S.John Winder, D.D.S., Inc.FAMILY DENTISTRY • IMPLANTS • TOOTH WHITENINGORAL SURGERY501 S. WASHBURN • DECATUR940-627-2514“Needed to get back to my life”One cold January afternoon, ShirleyLack was on her porch trying tobring her dog back into the housewhen she lost her balance and fell. She knewinstantly that she had done more damageto herself than just the average fall; shehad actually fractured her right hip. Shirleycrawled back into the house and waitedthere for 4 hours until her family returnedhome. After undergoing surgery and somephysical therapy at the hospital, Shirley said,“I knew that I had to have additional therapybefore I could go home.” Shirley had heardabout Senior Care Health & RehabilitationCenter, a new facility, that had just openedand set out to investigate from her hospitalbed. After completing her homeworkregarding her next step to recovery, shewas ready to be admitted to Senior Care.“I knew that the emphasis would be placedon care,” explains Shirley; to her reliefshe was correct. After spending 20 daysat Senior Care, Shirley was ready to return home and back to herjob. If you think you have seen her before, you probably have; Shirley is the smilingface that greets you here at our Decatur Wal-Mart. Shirley explains, “ I would highlyrecommend Senior Care to people; the staff are nice, very supportive, eager to please,and knowledgeable”Senior CareHEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTERBRIDGEPORT / DECATURBridgeport2108 15th StreetBridgeport, Texas 76426940-683-5023“Experience The Difference”Decatur701 West Bennett RoadDecatur, Texas 76234940-626-2800