Local veterinarian’s daughter wins big at state farm show
The Karner family of Clay Township took home honors for Butler County on the last day of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, when Karolina Karner’s goats captured two Grand Champion Awards on Saturday, Jan. 11.
Karolina, 18, is the daughter of local veterinarian Dr. Barb Karner, who owns both the Muddy Creek Animal Clinic and the Suburban Animal Clinic.
“When she won the buck, one of the other girls who was also competing against her went up to her and just embraced her. And you could tell she was genuinely happy for us,” Karner said. “The people that we compete with in shows throughout the year were just as excited for us as we were.”
In the exhibition for Department 11, “meat goats,” Karolina took home Grand Champion Awards for both full-blood buck and full-blood doe. The buck award was the more impressive. Unlike the doe competition, which was for juniors only, the buck competition was “open” and involved competitors of all ages.
The type of goats the Karners raise on their farm are boer goats, a South African meat goat. The Karners raise 18 such goats, along with some cattle, on their 6-acre farm in Clay Township.
While 6 acres may sound like a lot, Karner called it small compared to some of the farms of their competitors.
“There's some farms that we compete against that keep over 100 animals on their farms,” Karner said. “Relatively speaking, yes, we do have a very small herd.”
Of the 18 goats in their care, five were taken to Harrisburg for the farm show, where they were entered against competition from all corners of the state.
Despite the more imposing competition, the Karners’ goats met the judges’ standards of excellence.
“Conformation is a big thing, muscling, if they meet the breed standard, and grooming is certainly a part of it.” Karner said. “They have to be wide, they have to be square, they have to carry muscle.”
While the Karners have entered their goats in the farm show for many years, this marks the first time in several years, if ever, that they have won a Grand Champion Award. It was definitely the first time they won one for bucks.
“I think we might have won a few years ago, but it’s the first time we’ve ever won a buck for sure,” Karner said. “This is quite the honor for a small local farm.”
