The makings of a champion

Raising a good goat for this year's 4-H competition was a challenge for Theresa Costello, a six-year veteran of the livestock event.

She'd planned it just right, so her doe gave birth in January, more than enough time to fatten the market goat's baby up for the fair season.

But three days after the goat gave birth to Felix, the mother died.

"Felix, he was my bottle baby," said the 15-year-old Costello from the British Columbia Northern Exhibition barns on Sunday.

Felix, a friendly white goat with splotches of brown that covered his face, hovered at her heels and side.

"He loves people and he just loves attention," she said.

Eventually that became a problem for the family, who let Felix stay in a little play pen in the kitchen by the front door.

"That's where he lived until he got too loud," said Costello, who lives on a small farm with her family.

"Whenever we would leave him he would just start to bawl for us," she said. "He was a real suck, he would get sad because we left him and we were just around the corner."

But all that hard work paid off and Felix won grand champion the Wednesday before the fair.

"I'm really happy," said Costello, who showed pigs, rabbits and a sheep named Maddy to the fair.

With Maddy, she won grand champion for groom and reserve champion for senior showmanship.

Felix is her favourite, though.

"I got more attached to him than I thought I would. He's been just like a pet. He's been basically like a little dog."

Many don't understand raising an animal and then selling it, she acknowledged.

"When people say 'How can you do that?' I just say 'I try to give it as good a life as I can before I have to let it go.'"

Even knowing her own advice, Costello said it's tough for her to say goodbye.

"Before we load them up, I cry," she said.

"I try not to think about that part when I'm raising them, I just enjoy it in the moment."

This is her sixth year participating in the 4-H program and she said she keeps coming back because she likes the people and loves the animals.

"It's been just like every other fair but I always enjoy it and the prices were very good at the auction this year."

Both Felix and Maddy were sold, but she said it isn't about the money. In fact, Costello thinks she has a future in farming.

"I think I'd like to have a herd of Boer goats," said Costello, of the South African breed meant for meat production.

"I've always liked them and Felix is a Boer cross."

She's already starting in on that dream, getting her first pure bred this year.

For those who might want try 4-H, finding success involves a couple of key things:

You just want to make sure your animal is presentable. It should be clean, it should be healthy and well groomed - just always have it finished. If it's a market animal, to the right weight, and just take pride in your animal."

It's a mix of knowledge and a frame of mind, she said.

"Know what to look for in animal when you're first going to get it and be prepared to let it go at the end too. That's always the hardest part."