Unfortunately, we did not get away on time as there was so much to do to prepare for leaving all the animals in safe hands overnight & for most of the next day.
When we entered the showground it was dark which was not ideal but we thought we would be alright......how wrong can you be?!
Bramwell,the eldestof the three goats we were going to exhibit,decided that she did not like the look of the competition & ran off into the night. She was cornered at one point early in the proceedings,but managed to evade her capters! The next four hours were spent searching for her.The show site was shut down with all gates closed for the night to ensure that she could not get off the showground.The stewards on the site helped search and the other goat exhibitors turned out, but to no avail.We decided to call it a night & continue the search at first light. We did not have much sleep as we were really worried for her especially as the weather forcasters promised rain & they were not to be dissappointed.
At first light we went in search of her again before the show opened to the public.We walked around miles of hedges searching for her, but she had not even been seen by anyone.I was convinced that she had been really frightened by all of the noise & activity & had just run far away never to be found again......but still we searched.
About 8.30am we went back to the motorhome & had a drink & some breakfast & saw to the other goats who were safely tucked up in the marqee.We had no intention of now showing,but Nigel was persauded to in order to support the show itself. Our minds were not really on the job in hand but we came away with a couple of rosettes for 2nd & 3rd places.
The weather was really good so we felt sure that Bramwell would come out somewhere & sunbathe or take a nibble as she would be hungry by now.We continued our search after lunch & retraced the path which by now we knew very well indeed.We decided to look deep into the ditches as there was alot of cover & indeed we spotted her not far infact from the marqee where she escaped from.But as we got closer to her,she bolted & ran off at high speed across a field of cars, clearing some of them! The situation looked hopeless.....a young goat which could run faster than any quad bike would be difficult to catch! In the corner of the field there was a ditch with water in it & lots of nettles,thistles & all things that hurt. There were a couple of drainage rings for the water to run into from the adjoining road. We established that she had not gone any farther than this area & i went to get as many bodies as i could so that we could surround her.As i returned with help, Nigel & our friend Gary, appeared with her; she was really scared,coughing,panting & was really dirty & with blood pouring from her ear. They had managed to drag her from the hedge along the roadside by the only means they could.....her ears!!
Everyone was so pleased to see her( none moreso than me); i was so relieved; i really did think that she had gone forever.
We took her to the marqee & put her in a pen with her friends.....she did not resemble a show goat at all. She had alot of attention & soon settled down & had something to eat & drink. I did not get over the ordeal quite so quickly!
We were very careful on loading the goats back into the trailer to bring them home. I think she was really pleased to be home & warm & dry.She cleaned up well & her ear is much better.
I do not think that Usk Show 2011 will be forgotten very quickly by any of us who searched the fields for a goatling called Bramwell.
