We caught up with Max Petzenhauser, the exhibitor the Grand Champion FFA Market Goat at the 2023 Iowa State Fair! Learn a little more about Max below!
Age: 19
Hometown: Roland, Iowa
Grade: Sophomore at Blackhawk East College
What’s your Goat name? and what made him/her so special?
Silk Da shocker, A former friend and originally an Aksarben/Kansas City piece. The judge turned out tying into him and I’m once again extremely humbled to be in such a great and competitive goat show.
Throughout your show career what’s been your favorite Goat?
It comes down to my 2020 Aksarben and this years reserve I raised. Both happened to not understand the point of a halter and rather get scratched on and walking with my instead of being led.
What do you tell yourself right before you go into the ring?
To show my butt off and to shut out all the noise until I get the handshake. I find for myself that if I walk into a ring a little nervous I go out there and go to work.
What’s your dream college to attend?
Im a sophomore on the black Hawk east judging team and plans to judge in senior college
What’s your favorite thing to do in the barn?
Definitely being in the barn when we are kidding and giving the necessary TLC that all little goats need.
What’s your favorite show? and why?
NAILE is pretty cool and the facilities are superior to most. Without a doubt, one of the biggest shows you can win and it’s where the elite showcase the highest quality animals in the United States. A banner on the green chips are forever and always 2nd to none.
How do you stay focused on reaching your goal?
At the end of the day it all comes down to the love for the game. It’s one of those things you have to be in truly invested in.
Who has been your biggest influence?
My dad has always helped me and teaches me through his sheep herd and prior animal husbandry knowledge as well as teaching me how to feed and letting me take the reigns and feed my rations and I can’t ever thank him enough. Another person is Cooper Bounds who we co own does with at Premier/Bounds, Coopers been a very good role model and makes fitting and showing goats fun and worth it. The knowledge those two guys can share and breakdown truly humbles me and I couldn’t ask for a more dynamic duo of fellow goat enthusiasts.
