‘Thank you, Jesus, I ketch a goat’

Without a doubt, one of the most popular events at the Minard Livestock Show and Beef Festival over the years, has been the goat scramble and the calf scramble, where students compete to catch an animal to keep.

In last Thursday’s goat scramble, 20 students and seven goats were placed in the ring with seven students destined to be the lucky ones to own a goat at the end.

One of the lucky students was 16-year-old Annakay Campbell, a sixth-former at Brown’s Town High School.

“It was very difficult because I get so many drops I was like ‘Oh God!’ Annakay told The Gleaner. But she persevered and was rewarded.

“When I caught the goat, because someone was ketching the goat before me but them rope slip off, so when I ketch it I was like “Thank you Jesus mi ketch the goat!” she said. “I’m feeling great,” she added.

Annakay said she would give the goat to her mother who is involved with farming, as she has set her sights on becoming a chef or an accountant.

With excitement still sweeping over her, Annakay headed home with her goat, leaving the venue early along with her classmates Samantha Cammock and Sasha-Kaye Small, the former helping her to lift and carry the animal after it became stubborn and refuse to walk any further.

LITTLE DISAPPOINTED

Meanwhile, Troy High School grade nine student, Benjamin Richards, was left a little disappointed after he was able to purchase only one rabbit instead of the two or three he was hoping for, as the stock ran out before he could return with the funds.

Nevertheless, his goal of getting a buck (male rabbit) to put with the four females he has at home, was realised and for that he was happy as he forked out the $1,500.

He said his aim was to breed rabbits for consumption.

“I eat rabbit a lot of times; it tastes nice, nicer than chicken,” he told The Gleaner. But he admitted that now he has a buck he would now be thinking about starting a business breeding and selling rabbits.

Another Troy High student and animal lover, Davian Dixon, said while he doesn’t have space to accommodate rabbits he does have over a dozen barbel doves at home.

Also making the trek to Minard was a busload of students, grades four to six, from Stewart Town primary in Trelawny, with teachers Xavier Collins and Jessica Jones.

“It’s a wonderful experience, the students are very elated to be here; they r enjoying the activities that are here,” Collins said.

“We have a student who bought one of the rabbits and we’re saying that’s a very good investment so I really commend him on spending his money wisely in buying a rabbit,” he added.

Jones said the students would have benefited from their visit to Minard by increasing their knowledge of the different types of cattle and goats, with some getting really excited at seeing a rabbit for the first time.

For Danielia Marsh, of grade five, the real enjoyment was the goat scramble.

“It was fun I really love it; I enjoyed the students catching the goats, the goat scramble,” she said.