We caught up with Jaci Falkenstien, exhibitor of the Grand Champion Market Goat and Reserve Grand Champion Doe at the 2022 Aksarben Stock Show! Learn a little more about Jaci below!
Age: 15
Hometown: Bartlett, KS
School: I went to Bartlett Grade School in Kansas USD 506 from K-8th Grade. It is a small local school with about 120 kids K-8th. I now attend Labette County High School, a 4A high school in Altamont, Kansas.
Future Plans:
I don’t know for sure what I want to do when I get older, but at this point, I want to major in small animal embryo transfer and minor in zoololgy.
How many years have you been showing? Do you show any other species?
I have shown for 7 years. I showed cattle one year, sheep one year, pigs for two years, and I show horses at the county level. I prefer showing goats.
Other hobbies besides showing livestock?
Other hobbies that I enjoy are playing basketball and I am active in my church youth group. A majority of my time is spent working in our family business improving the quality of show goats we raise.
Best stock show memory:
My best stock show memory so far would probably have to be this year. Earlier this month I was blessed being named Champion Senior Showman, showing the Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat, and raising and showing the Supreme Doe at the Kansas State Fair. Just a few weeks later, we competed at the Aksarben Stock Show where I was named Reserve Champion Senior Showman, showed the Grand Champion Market Goat, and raised and showed the same doe as Reserve Supreme Doe.
This memory is rivaled by the year 2019 when I showed the Grand Champion Market Goat at the Kansas State Fair with a wether we had raised followed by a market goat win at the Aksarben Stock Show with a goat my brother had planned to show at the American Royal. Like many sotck show families, we spend numerous hours in the barn with our animals and our family making memories.
Tell us about your recent champion:
I really liked the goat I showed. I am not very good at naming my wethers so this one’s name was Went after his breeder. He had a great personality and was pretty easy to show except when he is backing out of the brace or not wanting to walk. He was raised by Went Show Goats and was placed by Kempker, Bounds, and Ausmus. I will miss having him in the barn.
What is one word that describes the feelings you had stepping foot into the Grand Drive?
This is probably the hardest question for me because there are so many thoughts going through my mind like excited, anxious, and joyful. If I were to pick just one, I would say grateful. I’m grateful for the people that have pushed me to get where I am, but also that God has put me in the place to be able to compete at the level I do.
Favorite Livestock Show:
I don’t really have a favorite Livestock Show, but if I were to pick one: I would say Aksarben Stock Show. They genuinely care about the people who are showing. They have great facilities with plenty of room and work hard to put on a great show.
THIS OR THAT
Washing or Clipping
Washing
Halter Breaking or Training to Brace
Training to Brace
Banners or Buckles
Banners
Cleaning Pens or Changing/Cleaning Water Buckets
Chaning Water Buckets
