Allen Newcomb Show Lambs & Treadmills

Ben Williams

We caught up with Mr. Ben Williams after he judged at the 2024 American Royal Wether Dam Doe Show. Check out his thoughts below…

What trait do you see your champion producing the best in the future?
I would expect my champion to inject her wild look and extra shape into future generations. She just had a “wow” factor about her.

With the difference of sorting slick vs hair does. Which one do you prefer? Why?
Oh, I think there could be a big difference between the two.  Personally, I like looking at them fitted and all dressed up.  I feel there is an art to getting them presented and ready to show.  In my opinion, the elite ones will still do well either way, but there would definitely be some shuffle within classes if they were slicked off.

What trait/traits were you consistent on following through the show? What makes that/those traits important to you? 
The traits I valued during the show were build/skeleton and a quality look, while have enough muscle and skeletal width. I put considerable emphasis on the does when they were on the move because I feel like having the right skeleton keeps us from chasing extremes too much.

If you could change your champion in one spot, where would it be?
The one place I would change my champion is her ownership, she would look great in my barn!

What has been the biggest thing you learned while judging?
The biggest thing I learned was how the length of hair on the does affected their look and freshness.  Some does were shown in longer hair, and it probably took a little bit away from their shape and look.  Those that were tighter haired looked more shapely, rounder bodied and fresher conditioned.  I understand the natural instinct to not take too much hair off when getting them clipped and presented, but it could actually turn into a benefit for a judge who prioritizes similar things as me.

What showman stood out to you? Why?
Honestly, I didn’t know most of the showman as that’s just something I don’t follow.  However, the level and quality of showmanship was off the charts good! I did notice two distinct styles of showman in which some spent more time bracing while others were off of the does. I think it really depends on the strength of the animal as to which method was appropriate.

When judging, did you ever wonder what the pedigrees were on some of the females? 
It never crossed my mind, honestly.  I probably find myself wondering about that more in the sheep ring.

What has been your favorite show you’ve judged? Why? 
This one! The venue, the stage and the quality of stock was incredible.

Thoughts on handshakes/fist bumps?
Either works, but a good firm handshake makes a nice impression.

Kathryn Black

We caught up with Ms. Kathryn Black after she judged goat showmanship at the 2024 American Royal. Check out her thoughts below and please continue to check back often for our next edition of “The Recap – Showmanship Edition.”

What division was the toughest for you to sort? Why?
Honestly, the intermediate division was the toughest for me to sort 2nd on down. The young lady that I used to win the division did so fairly handedly for me but her contemporaries were just exceptional as well. The intermediate and junior aged kids are being asked to compete and hang with these older kids. You can tell they are putting in the work at home. They have the fire and drive to want to win- it was impressive. They exhibited their stock well beyond their years and answered the questions I threw at them seamlessly.

Where do you see room for improvement for the future of our showman?
I sorted each division predominantly on how well their goats walked, as far as holding their neck at the correct angle, and not fighting the halter/chain. I made my initial sort as well on the exhibitor’s body position and their goat’s head caricature while being in a brace or free standing. I feel both of these are things exhibitors can work on to stay consistently at the top. Many of these exhibitors I know are exemplary in their own region or state but when competing on a national level, where they are all the best where they come from- it’s fun to see how they stack up as well as it gives them things to work on or fine tune for the next show.

Going forward in your judging career, what is one thing you will put more emphasis on?
Looking back I wish I would have talked to more of the exhibitors to give them my reasons on why they weren’t towards the top or things I felt they could work on to improve at home.

Thoughts on switching showman to other animals?
I don’t see much benefit to doing this in a showmanship class. Each animal has been worked to show well for that exhibitor. We are at the point in competition where things can be very delicate and tedious where we don’t want someone else exhibiting our animals. Not being able to show another showman’s goat to perfection doesn’t make you an incapable showman in my opinion.

What did your champions/champion do that helped you make your mind up on them?
The young ladies who each won their respective divisions simply showed their goats flawlessly. The young lady who I used to win overall is one of the best showmen I have witnessed. She executed getting her goat showed to near perfection. She had a nice goat as well but the way she elevated his quality to another level- that’s what being a great showmen is all about.

If you could judge with one person who would it be? Why? 
That is a very difficult question. There are countless livestock evaluators whom I have encountered over the years who I greatly love listening to their insight and opinions. We have livestock judging teams frequently visit and work sets at the house. Coltin and I just sit back and listen and we always learn something. I think the next generation is going to have some very knowledgeable and influential livestock minds because they are being taught by some of the best.

Do you have a “style” of showman? Or what do you lean towards?
Showing lambs and goats to compete at a national level is extremely difficult. I don’t think some in the industry realize how hard it is. My personal style I guess is having your animal look as good and natural on a brace as they do free standing. Moving well is also very important. I feel in the coming years many judges are going to have you walk your animal in their judging classes A LOT. Livestock, as a whole, are getting very good but you can still sort them fairly easily on the move. Having that animal just walk and hold itself correctly is going to be very important. Also, I have been doing this a long time and have worked with countless showmen and there is just a look that some of them have. It’s an intensity that isn’t a mean stare, but a look of passion and they HAVE to win. You can’t teach that. It comes from within.

Brandon Callis

We caught up with Mr. Brandon Callis after he judged at the 2024 American Royal Market Goat Show. Check out his thoughts below…

What class from this show will you go back to in your mind and resort?​
There are two of them. Class 3 in division 3 and class 2 divison 4. FUN stock.

What did your champion do that sealed the deal?
My kind of power
My kind of body shape
The extras
And met my strick request of moving athletic.

What do you feel made your experience the best it could have been?
Being blessed to do it with a personal friend and fellow brother in Christ.

Thoughts on handshakes/fist bumps?
Either way. It’s all good! Just go with the flow.

What was a challenge you didn’t foresee coming when you took the job?
I’ve been blessed to do enough of these shows. The elite stock coming in volume is what makes it special and challenging. I never want to see a kid defeated my heart breaks for them. But it’s a competition we gain lessons winning and even bigger ones taking a loss.

What was the toughest call you had to make? What satisfied this call in your mind?
At first it was class 3 in D3. On Saturday night it was which black headed one to roll with for reserve. They both came back looking like hammers

What do you think this generation of showman needs to be more aware of?
Enjoy the moment and your relationships more than the banner. Perfecting the process is far more beneficial than the awards. And Jesus is the only thing that will bring you true happiness and peace.

What showman stood out to you? Why?
Not sure there was just one. But if you don’t get caught in the emotion when a kid gets fired up like the kid that had reserve grand then I’d check your pulse.

Did you have any funny encounters?
Yes watching boles be covered in baby powder. Not smart to wear black in a fit goat show.

What has been the biggest change in the ring since you were an exhibitor?
The stock is better, the care is better, but we have to be careful not to push the fundamentals aside for the extra. You have to be good before you can be great.

Josh Kouns

We caught up with Mr. Josh Kouns after he judged at the 2024 Aksarben Stock Show. Check out his thoughts below…

What class from this show will you go back to in your mind and resort?​
I don’t think I’ll go back and resort any class. I thought that this show presented good goats in all classes. Some were deeper than others but most had ones that I could build a class around.

What did your champion do that sealed the deal?
When he came in I just prayed he had a good rear leg and he did. To me, he was the most unique and his combination of structural correctness, lift up front and a big hip was the best.

What do you feel made your experience the best it could have been?
I have never been to Aksarben until this show. The staff and volunteers were absolutely great. I don’t know how many times I heard them say that they want this show to be about the exhibitors.

Thoughts on handshakes/fist bumps?
I like both. If you shake hands just make sure to use your right hand…..

What was a challenge you didn’t foresee coming when you took the job?
I don’t know if it was a challenge but show goats are fit to another level when they come into the ring. During the doe show I was blown away by how well those animals were presented and fit to cover flaws so I really needed to study them.

What was the toughest call you had to make? What satisfied this call in your mind?
My toughest call was lining up heavyweight division top 3. There were several nice goats in that drive and they all advantages but they all also had pieces I wanted to change so I had to prioritize those.

What do you think this generation of showman needs to be more aware of?
Most of my grand drive talks stem around being humble and being appreciative. I’m not saying this generation isn’t that but I see more and more instances where a finger is pointed in blame for the reason that an exhibitor got beat.

What showman stood out to you? Why?
I’m gonna be vague…they all stood out! I’m glad I didn’t have to judge showmanship. That was an awesome group of showman that appeared to be committed and driven to compete at the highest level.

Did you have any funny encounters?
I shouldn’t wear dark pants when I judge goat shows that allow baby powder!!

What has been the biggest change in the ring since you were an exhibitor?
I showed over 20 years ago. I had a human treadmill and a show circuit magazine. Kids now have so many resources that they have access to make them more competitive and give them an edge.

Payton Dahmer

We caught up with Mr. Payton Dahmer after he judged the Market Goat Showmanship at the 2023 Oklahoma Youth Expo. Check out his thoughts below…

When your showman first stepped foot into the ring, did you know they were your champion?
My champion and reserve showman both entered the ring with the face of a gamer… they separated themselves at that moment.

What is one thing your champion did to set themselves apart?
The decision between my champion and reserve was immensely close. Both of those kids set themselves apart by not drawing attention to themselves, but just having their goat looking 100% every time I caught a look at them.

If you could change your showman in one aspect, what would it be?
I’d tell them both to not change a thing – they’re incredible at what they do!

What is one bucket list show to judge? Why?
The sheep show at Louisville sits at the top of my bucket list. There’s just something about those green shavings!

Most embarrassing moment as a judge?
Nothing comes to mind instantly, but I typically am so focused on what I’m doing that I wouldnt noticed if I embarrassed myself anyway…

Who gave you your first opportunity to judge?
One of the first opportunities I had to judge was at a sheep/goat jackpot in Manhattan, KS my freshman year of college. Its funny how things came full circle as I later attended K-State and am now employed there!

Barrett Carlisle

We caught up with Mr. Barrett Carlisle after he judged the Market Goats at the 2023 Rodeo Austin. Check out his thoughts below…

If you could change your champion in one place, what would it be?
With the risk of this sounding like a cop out, I do not think I would really change him anywhere. I did not read him to have any major flaws, and he had a striking and memorable first impression. I thought it was hard not to love that one!

What was the feeling you had when you found your champion?
When he came back into the ring after getting the first pull and going across the scale, I followed him a good while. When I finally made myself stop following him around the ring, I muttered to myself, “that’s the one”.

What was the toughest class of the day?
Without question, class 13. It was a very deep class and one of those where you knew some good projects were going to fall short of a sale slot. The top 3 were the toughest trio of the day. All three had incredible pieces and were all shown to a high degree, but all three needed tweaked in an area, or two. Weighing out those differences and really breaking down three exceptional individuals was fun, but the hardest call to make on the day.

What is one memory from the show that you will cherish for a long time?
Getting to judge there was a good example of how this industry comes full circle. It hit me in the grand drive that I was getting to judge my first spring major in the same ring where I last showed as an exhibitor. Getting to experience that while my family was there was very cool. The other moment was in class 11. When I pointed to the young lady to let her know she just won the class, her reaction, and the reaction from the crowd, made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It was a good reminder that through the course of a show, those moments are powerful and will be memorable to those kids for a lifetime.

Favorite song?
Weirdly, hardest question of this interview… I do not think I can narrow it down to just one. I go in spurts on what kind of music I listen to at a given time. I, like most, am on a big Zach Bryan kick.

Who do you want to thank for getting you where you are today?
Obvious answer would be my parents. I never have to wonder who my biggest fans are, or if they are in my corner. Their support never wavers. My wife, Jara, also needs credit. If you know her, you know she demands the best of people, and she is not cutting me any slack in that regard. There are not many people on her level.

Favorite part about being the judge?
Any time you get to be around good stock and discuss them, it is an enjoyable experience for me. However, the feeling of shaking somebody’s hand at the end of the day and seeing the emotion they experience in that moment is something that sticks with you for awhile. Getting to be the judge has also taken me to some very cool places and introduced me to some the finest people I know.

Josh Kouns

We caught up with Mr. Josh Kouns after he judged the Market Goats at the 2023 San Angelo Stock Show. Check out his thoughts below…

If you could change your champion in one place, what would it be?
Color. Not a big fan of paints. Sometimes it’s works out though….

What was the feeling you had when you found your champion?
I saw several come in that had big ring pieces but when my grand came trotting in on the move I thought here we go!

What was the toughest class of the day?
The hardest class to figure out was class 1. It had everything in it with a big weight range. The toughest class was the first class of heavies that my grand came out of.

What is one memory from the show that you will cherish for a long time?
I had a lot of good memories to take home from my day of judging but the young man that came through on a wheel chair with tracks made me smile. The amount of work that he put in to train that goat to walk next to him is simply amazing!

Favorite song?
I have never really had a favorite song. Currently around our house we are listening to a lot of cocomelon.

Who do you want to thank for getting you where you are today?
My parents didn’t grow up around the stock show deal other than the occasional county fair, but their support of me wanting to make my own path of showing and judging never fell short. I’ll be grateful of that forever.

Favorite part about being the judge?
Its always fun to just get out in the ring and be a small part of a show and watch the efforts of the exhibitors pay off.