WDGA HISTORY
The Wyoming Dairy Goat Association became a functioning organization on January 29th, 1983. The first meeting was held in Casper, Wyoming.
There already was in existence a group of Dairy Goat enthusiasts, The Southeast Dairy Goat Association located in the SE corner of Wyoming, involved with the promotion and education of the public about dairy goats. The charter members of the newly formed WDGA recognized the need for additional promotion of the dairy goat as an economical source of milk and dairy products and immediately joined forces with the southern based group in co-sponsoring a cheese making seminar in Cheyenne with the primary goal of the club as education, exposure, and promotion of the dairy goat and their products. A second goal set at this first meeting was promotion and publicizing dairy goats at the Wyoming State Fair celebration in Douglas each August. At this January meeting in 1983, an informational booth manned by the new WDGA members was planned. A third goal was the pledged support of county 4-H and local fairs in the central and northern region of the State. Judy Bayles of Gillette was named the 4-H coordinator for the State.
With organizational goals set, a slate of officers consisting of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer were elected from the members present. A list of agreed upon suggestions for operations (a rather “loose” set of by-laws ) were developed. Meetings at member’s homes three times a month, a monthly newsletter was begun, and WDGA was off and running!
From 1983-1985, WDGA focused on the youth of the State by hosting various clinics and seminars along with printed material on the benefits of dairy goats throughout the area. This began the strong foundation to the club’s existence of education and promotion of the dairy industry. The youth awards at the WSF were first sponsored by individual goat owners. In 1986, WDGA expanded their involvement with the youth by donating trophies for the GCH. RCH, and Best Udder in the youth shows.
In 1985, WDGA assisted the Southeast Dairy Goat Association with the Laramie Plains Spring Dairy Goat Show, June 16-17 held at the Albany County Fairgrounds. The ADGA sanctioned show had over 400 senior does, junior does, and bucks exhibited over the weekend. With this large show experience under their belt, WDGA joined with the Wyoming State Fair in sponsoring an ADGA Open Dairy Goat Show the following year, 1986, in Douglas. The WSF had been sponsoring a dairy goat show in 1979 and had increased this single show to a double sanctioned show in 1985 because of the increased interest and number of dairy goats entering the State Fair. This show on August 16, was judged by Stephen Richter and Dan Considine. From 1986 to the present, WDGA has sponsored and ran one of the two shows at the WSF.
The active members of WDGA decided to undertake a huge project with the club’s decision to host an ADGA National Show in 1991. This was after only 8 years of existence as an organization. The members chose the grand facility of the CAM-PEX in Gillette, Wyoming as the location for this project. Armed with facts and pride along with a suitcase full of determination, WDGA approached the ADGA National Show Committee and presented a bid and invitation to come the Wyoming. When the smoke cleared (from all the doubt filled, pessimistic accusations of allowing such a small club in such an underdeveloped area to take on the responsibility of hosting a National Show), WDGA with 15 devoted club members secured the bid for the 1991 ADGA National Show in Gillette, Wyoming. Some of the most involved members were: Patricia Reed of Gillette, Bob and Becky Evans of Ranchester, Linda and Ken Johnson of Laramie, Laura Evans of Cody, Jessie Worley of Gillette, and Lois Williams of Thermopolis.
The 1991 National ADGA Show was a success! WDGA surprised everyone that such a small club in an unpopulated area, (people wise as well as goat wise when compared to other states) could sponsor a show and do such a professional job. But the show depleted the energy of the members. The years between 1991-and 1996 showed a decrease in the number of dairy goats exhibited at the WSF and active members in WDGA. This decline was seen State wide with the number of youth involved in 4-H and FFA competitors as well as less adult entries in the open shows. Individual WDGA members often personally paid sanction fees of their breed to keep the show from losing money and being able to operate. The club’s only income was yearly dues and entry fees from this one show. A very successful raffle of donated items from generous members helped keep expenses down and the show alive. Meetings at member’s homes were eliminated and an annual meeting (held prior to the WSF show) was decided upon. The monthly newsletter was decreased to four times a year. WDGA membership remained around 20-25 members and these lean years were survived.
In 1995 the leadership of WDGA (held by members in the central and northern area of the State) shifted to the south with the August elections at the annual meeting. The Southeast Dairy Goat Association had ceased to exist and the southern numbers of goat owners outnumbered the central and northern members. After these lean years of hardly making enough dues to support the WSF show, the remaining members of WDGA decided to sponsor another open show further south to boost the small treasury. The show was held in the southern part of Wyoming where a larger number of animals and exhibitors from Colorado and Nebraska expressed interest in attendance. The decision was difficult because with the WDGA treasury so depleted and Cheyenne facility expensive doubts as to the success was questioned. And most of all, the penning would have to be a hand set and removed by the members. But it was sink or swim and plans proceeded. Again, as back in the early 90’s, members pooled resources and volunteered person financial risk to cover the early costs of sponsoring a second show. But their belief in the club emerged with the first profit seen from a show in four years.
In 1999 over Memorial weekend, the Fuzzy Dairy Goat Show was first held in Cheyenne at the Frontier Park Facility. A Fuzzy show was decided upon because of the time of year. This first show was judged by Harvey Considine with senior, junior and bucks exhibited. The show was almost double the size of the WSF show. With the increased income from entry fees as well as penning fees, the increase was enough in the very first year to pay expenses for both shows!
In 2000, WDGA increased the show to a double and added an ADGA One-Day Milking Competition sponsored by Meadowlark Testing Association (a local DHIA) for the exhibitors. The year 2000 also brought the addition of the Specialty or Feature Breed to the WSF Show. This first applied by specialty was the Alpine breed showcased at the WSF. Starting the following year, The Wyoming State Fair also began to “feature” a breed each year along with the WDGA Specialty presenting a banner from the WSF.
WDGA traveled even further to the south in 2002 joining with the Colorado Dairy Goat Association to assist in hosting the ADGA National Show in Pueblo, Colorado. Those members in attendance were encouraged to place a bid for the 2nd hosting of a National Show in Wyoming after hearing all the wonderful comments about the 1991 show. A visit around the State for possible sites ended in again the selection of the CAM-PLEX facility in Gillette. So, a return to Wyoming in 2007, (16 years after the 1st hosting of a National Show with some of the members who worked the 1991 show still active in the club to assist in the endeavor), was sponsored and successfully completed.
In 2002 the club began a scholarship fund for the youth attending any dairy goat education clinic, college, local seminars, and attendance to the National Show as well as National Convention.
2009 brought WDGA to another stepping stone. The Fuzzy show in Cheyenne was enlarged to a Quad show and Triple Buck for the exhibitors. The show still offered Showmanship competitions for the youth and a ODMC for the 10th year. A showmanship contest was added to the WSF in 2009.
In 2012, WDGA assisted CDGA in hosting another National ADGA show in Loveland, Co. Rumors have been traveling around the membership as to the possibility of hosting their 1st Convention in the next few years.
As expenses increased in Cheyenne and dwindling membership availability to set-up and tear down the penning for operation of the Fuzzy, a move to the Torrington Fair grounds in 2011 was undertaken. The show was reduced to a double show (senior, junior, and bucks). As numbers seemed at an increase, WDGA members attempted a return to a Quad sponsored show in 2016. However, low attendance again depleted the WDGA funds.
Funding at this time was also cut to the WSF by the State Legislature, with many open livestock shows being eliminated. WDGA examined the state of their treasurer and voted to support the 2nd show at Douglas continuing the history of dairy goats being exhibited at the fair since 1980. With the income of both entry fees and pen fees for two shows, expenses were met in 2018. A special AI clinic was undertaken with various speakers in the fall October 2018 to begin increasing the WDGA treasurer to support expenses. 2019 the Fuzzy was held in Douglas at WSF grounds until plans were finalized for a show in Cheyenne at the Archer Facility. Even though the 2020 Fuzzy was to be held in Cheyenne, COVID shut down any plans that year for the Fuzzy. Not only was the Fuzzy cancelled for 2020, the National Show in Grand Island, Nebraska where members had volunteered to attend, support, and provide workers to support the show. However, by August, the WSF held their livestock shows and WDGA was there in face masks and hand sanitation stations to support their 2 dairy goat shows.
2021 saw the Fuzzy show return home to Cheyenne at the Archer Facility. A double show for seniors, juniors, and bucks was offered.
Fund raising began in earnest to support the additional expensive facility at Archer the following years. An educational clinic was added to the exhibitors in 2022. Exhibitors attending were involved in showing and the clinic was very poorly attended.
Currently the club is investing heavy in public education. Appealing to the public through invitations to share the wonderful world of dairy goats has become a club goal. Flyers, banners, TV spots, were developed in 2023 with areas at the Fuzzy show facility designated for the public to participate in goat yoga, snuggle a goat, milk a goat, brush a goat, and kiss a buck. These events were highlighted while still sponsoring 6 ADGA sanctioned shows. 2024 a Goat Fun Run is being promoted and held June 8 in Cheyenne at the Sun Valley Park.
Formed with the goal of education, support of youth, and promotion of Dairy Goats, WDGA continues true to their organizational goals. With the modern shift from belonging to clubs, attending meetings, emails instead of newsletters, fast communication, and other technological advances, belonging and participating in clubs have almost become a thing of the past. The methods of accomplishing goals and communications difficult, WDGA still attracts the same type of members for basically the same reason the club formed years ago. The term CAPRINEACOLOGISTS fits the club now as it did in 1983. Although a small group of goat enthusiasts, we believe in the wonderful species of Caprine and work together to continue our passion and share it with others.
History Provided By;
HISTORY PROVIDED BY;
1983-1995, Lois Williams, Charter Member WyDGA 1983, Sunny Side Acres
1995-2024, Karen Butler, Member since 1992, Mega-Milkers