JABGA National Judges

Meet Your 2017Junior National Show Judges

Eddie Holland

To be selected to judge the Junior ABGA National Show is one of the ultimate highlights in my judging carrier. I have been fortunate and honored to judge at many ABGA National shows. I just can’t say enough about how gratifying it has been to work with great judges at these shows. I have enjoyed evaluating the best Boer goats in the United States and have seen the outstanding progress made by the breeders over the years. It is a wonderful feeling seeing the elation on the faces of the exhibitors when their animal is slapped on the rump and handshake is made. As many times as I have had the honor, it still gives me a wonderful feeling of pride. In my opinion, the ABGA National shows offer the opportunity to showcase the best Boer goats in the United States every year. You have exhibitors coming from all over the country with some of them traveling several days to get to the show depending on location. I would like to say how much of an honor it was to be selected to Judge the Junior National ABGA show this year. I really enjoyed judging as a team with Ron Dilly and Jesse Kimmel. We enjoyed being able to discuss all of the goats and pointing out differences. We did not see everything the same, and that is ok. I think being able to work as a team and talking to one another all the way to champion drive was great. As a team, we enjoyed working our way from the tenth to the first place entry and shaking hands with winner. Thanks again for the honor!

Ron Dilley I enjoy spending family time with my wife Debbie, three grown daughters, and five grandchildren. I am employed with a reproduction firm in Stillwater Ok, where I specialize in Sales and Marketing for our Goat Program. Debbie and I started our journey in the goat industry in 2001, and what an experience it has been!

I consider it an honor to have been chosen to judge multiple National Shows. Folks tell me I’m considered one of the Senior Judges in our association, and I’ll take that as a compliment too!

I really enjoy consistently finding quality animals to use, that are both structurally sound, and appealing to the eye. When I continue to use that type of animal in as many shows as I judge each year, I guess in my own way, I’m helping to shape an Industry!

It’s hard to describe the feeling of choosing a National Champion. It’s like sharing the excitement and emotion with the winner but it seems to get even better in the Junior Show. Knowing that these young people have worked months, and in some cases years, to have an opportunity to stand in a Grand Drive, words just can’t describe how honored we are to be able to reward their hard work!

The National Show is the premier event of the ABGA, and it’s our opportunity to shine! I hope everyone understands just how important it is to our association!

To the JABGA members, thanks again for selecting us to judge your show. Jesse Kimmel

I am married to my wife, Khara, and I have two children, Riley (5) and Braxton (3). I am a Agricultural Teacher and FFA advisor. I raise both Show pigs and Boer goats. I have been fortunate enough to judge from coast to coast. It is an incredible honor to judge a national show. Being selected by the members is awesome. The biggest honor was to judge with two men that I look up to and have great respect for. Ron and Eddie along with the junior members made it an experience I will never forget.

Being part of this event with junior member was a great experience. Seeing their faces whether it was just coming into the ring or receiving an award was worth it. You know these members have poured their hearts and souls into it. When these young kids get a huge smile on their face or break down into tears when they receive an award you know how much work went into it. The biggest honor you can have as a judge is that reaction. You know you have just impacted their lives.

Having a national show is a major event that I think is necessary for our organization to keep growing. This show allows for junior members to come from all over the country and compete. This event is also where you can make friendships from all over the country that will last a life time. I encourage all junior members to attend the national show and have an awesome experience. The junior board does a great job at having other events at the show to keep everyone involved and to have fun.

The junior members are our future. We need to encourage them and help them the best we can so that our industry can grow. It is important to look at the junior members as equals. These young individuals work hard and put in a lot of effort to get their animals ready.

I would like to do is thank everyone the helped put the national show on. The ABGA staff did an amazing job. The junior board made it an experience I will never forget. The young members who showed was such an amazing group. The three men in the ring, Robert Washington, Kurt Henry, and Jesse Cornelius deserve the biggest thank you I can give. These three men busted their butts for this show to run so smooth. The last people I want to thank is Ron Dilley and Eddie Holland for being the best team I could ever hope to judge with. It is not very often when you get a chance to judge with two men you look up to.