Prize Winners from Swan View Ranch: The Story of Nelson

Nelson was born one of a set of twins on December 27, 2014 at Swan View Ranch, son of SVR1 Clint Eastwood and K1K2 Aaprina Acres Ju Ju B.

Here he is at a week old.

Nelson was such a pretty boy that we had thoughts of keeping him a buck. Here he is at three weeks with his sister Nala.

Then we got a call from a young man living in Hotchkiss, Colorado, who needed a 4-H goat to show in the Delta County Fair.

So we told him about Nelson.

Trey wanted him, so Nelson became a 4-H wether! Here are the two on their first day of meeting one another.

Gerald and I really looked forward to attending the Delta County Fair Goat Show and were delighted to find out that it was on a Wednesday—Gerald’s only day off work!

We would be able to go and enjoy it.

But then, as fate would have it, I was selected to serve on a jury. (What are the odds?) It was supposed to last for four days, which would have made it impossible for me to see Trey show Nelson at the fair.

I was terribly disappointed. I had so looked forward to this fair for 5 months!

Luck was on my side, though. Believe it or not, we finished with the case Wednesday at noon. Who’s ever heard of a jury wrapping up early? But so it happened, lucky for me.

I made the goat show in Hotchkiss just in time. I didn’t even miss one class as the goat judge was late coming from Denver. I can’t believe how things worked out. I was delighted to join Gerald along with Trey and his family to take part in the happy occasion.

Nelson weighed 109 pounds and was absolutely beautiful. Trey gave him a super trim job as you can see when he and Trey enter the show ring for the showmanship class.

The class was so huge that they had to judge it in two waves. Trey placed in the top four in the first wave, so he and Nelson waited in a holding pen for the second wave to show their animals—22 kids and animals in all in this class of showmanship.

After the second wave had been judged, another five goats and kids were selected. Upon completion of the judging, Trey and Nelson placed 7th, which was exceptional in such a large class for a young man showing a goat for the first time!

On to the Market Goat class, where Nelson placed 4th in his class. Beautiful isn’t he? And look at how GREAT Trey is doing with him. Keep in mind here that the goat weighs MORE than the boy!

Proud as he can be—Trey stands with Nelson and his 4th place ribbon.

Congratulations Trey.  You did a super job! So very glad we got to take part in it with you!