ABW Rules and Information



The members of the Arkansas Meat Goat Association are sponsoring the Arkansas Born and Bred Wether Program to promote the Arkansas Meat Goat Industry. The Arkansas State Fair is not responsible for this show! All questions about the show should be directed to the Arkansas Meat Goat Assn. board members.

Breeder Rules for the ABW Program:

  1. Breeders participating in the program Must be a member in good standing of the Arkansas Meat Goat Association. Breeders participating in the program nominate their wethers by completing the ABW Breeder Form, listing the scrapies tag numbers, and mailing it to the address listed on the form, along with payment for the number of ear tags requested, ($10.00 each if a member by January 1st., $15.00 each if membership is paid after January 1st.), plus $15.00 Mailing fee. Nominations must be postmarked by June 1st. of each year. LATE NOMINATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! Once nominations and payment has been processed by ArMGA the ABW tags will be mailed directly to the breeder along with a tagging sheet to record your tagging information. The tagging sheet must be returned to the ABW Tagging Chairman within 30 days! The breeder will certify that the wethers meet the requirements of being born and bred in Arkansas. Failure to return the completed tagging sheet or mistakes on the form will make these animals ineligible to participate in the show. Breeders are responsible for checking the form to assure the information submitted is correct. ArMGA will not be responsible for errors on the part of the breeder.
  2. The purpose of the Arkansas Born and Bred Wether Program is to promote the showing of wethers born and bred by Arkansas Producers. Does will not be allowed to participate in the program.
  3. Breeders with a current membership as of January 1st. of that show year will pay a nomination fee of $10.00 per head. If you join ArMGA after January 1st. of that show year, you will pay a nomination fee of $15.00 per head. A $15.00 mailing fee will be charged for mailing tags back to breeder. The breeder certifies by paying the nomination fee and completing the breeder form that all the animals nominated meet the requirements to participate in the ABW program. The deadline for breeders to nominate animals is June 1st. of that show year.
  4. All wethers participating in the program must be tagged within 30 days of receipt of ABW tags. The tagging sheet must be completed and returned to the ABW Tagging Chairman for these animals to eligible to participate in the show.

Exhibitor Rules for the ABW Program:


  1. July 15th. is the ownership deadline for exhibitors.
  2. Exhibitors may nominate up to 6 wethers but only 3 of those animals will be allowed on the fairgrounds to participate in the show. There is a $10.00 Exhibitor Fee and $25.00 per head animal nominated entry fee. Exhibitors of these wethers will be the only ones allowed to exhibit them at County, District, and State Fairs. Exhibiting them at any other fair in the name of another individual or family member will make them ineligible to participate in the program.
  3. It is recommended that wethers be dehorned but that is not mandatory. However, wethers with horns must be blunt tipped to the size of a dime.
  4. The minimum weight is 50 pounds. There is no maximum weight limit. All wethers will be clipped to 3/8 inch or less above the knees prior to official weigh-in. Entries will be examined to assure they have all their baby teeth, and show no symptoms of disease, external parasitism, or active ringworm lesions in accordance with Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission requirement. Random drug testing may be performed during the ABW Show. Processing will be done in conjunction with the Arkansas State Fair Market show, however ABW rules will determine eligibility to participate in the Arkansas Meat Goat Association show.
  5. There is no minimum age requirement provide exhibitor can show their animal unassisted. The maximum age of exhibitor is 1 year after graduation from High School or equivalent. Absolutely no helpers will be allowed in the ring with exhibitors! Exhibitors who will not be able to show their animal due to medical reasons will provide a letter from the attending physician at check in.
  6. Exhibitor’s entry and full payment must be postmarked by September 1st. of that show year. LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!
  7. Official protest of Breeder or Exhibitor fraud or misrepresentation shall be submitted to the ArMGA along with a $100.00 fee in the form of money order or cashier’s check within 24 hours of the alleged incident or conclusion of the show. If the protest is upheld the $100.00 fee will be returned. If the protest is found to be without merit the fee will be retained by ArMGA. Breeders and Exhibitors found to be in violation of IAFE or ABW regulations will be barred from participation in the ABW Program for life.
  8. All regulations and necessary forms are available on Arkansas Meat Goat Association website at: www.arkansasmeatgoatassociation.com. The forms must be printed, completed, and mailed with the required fee to:
    Arkansas Meat Goat Association
    c/o Anita Savage
    3815 Bellefonte Road
    Harrison, AR 72601
    Phone 870-365-6071

Arkansas Bred Wether program will be monitored by the ArMGA board of directors and ABW Chairman.