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Mother
and Daughter Partnership Takes the Show" United Caprine News 10/00
June, 1986: Anne Petersen finally makes a dream come true and purchases
two Alpine Grades.
Several other breeds follow.
Sept.,
1989: Margiana Petersen-Rockney born.
March,
1991: Rosasharn's Baby Bella is born, Anne's first Nigerian and Margiana's
play-mate. We sold the other breeds and never looked back.
Spring,
1993: Goodwood Tom Thumb is purchased, a move to have profound influence
on the Rosasharn herd.
Aug.,
1997: Rosasharn's Sandalwood (Bella's great grand daughter) was born,
officially initiating Anne and Margiana's partnership in herd management and
ownership.
Dec.
1998: Margiana attempts to secretly aquire Water Lily from a herd
reduction sale, as a gift for Anne. But to her great disappointment, was informed
that the doe was "sold". Two weeks later, Goodwood Water Lily is presented to
Margiana
as surprise Christmas present with a big red bow.
July
7-8, 2000: After a grueling 20 hour drive from Massachusetts, we'd
finally made it to the show barn of the
AGS National Show in Smithfield, North
Carolina! The night of our departure, Tom Thumb, our main herd sire and
prize
buck had blocked with urinary calculi. What to do?? Anne finally figured he'd
be best cared for if he came along,
as planned. With treatment commenced, we
began our journey accompanied by much anxiety. Throughout the trip
Anne feared
for his life. We stopped several times to care for him. Miraculously, by our
morning stop for milk-out, Tom was dribbling! and by evening he peed! We were
relieved and celebratory. As the show barn filled up we admired all the lovely
animals and acquainted ourselves with breeders we'd both heard about and corresponded
with. What fun to put faces
to names.
July,
10: We were surrounded
by beautiful Nigerian does in every class. The first thrill was to have Tom's
daughter
Rosasharn's Sandalwood 4*D "Sandy," co-owned by Anne and Margiana, chosen
as the #1 two year old (followed in
second place by our good friend and travel
companion from Massachusetts, Heather Georgia and her Doe-sy-Doe's Honey Bun). The thrill continued
as Sandy was selected Senior Grand Champion of the day, again followed by Honey
Bun as the Reserve! Heather, Anne and Margiana flew at one another for hugs and
cries of joy. The next class to enter was Champion Challenge...
but what to do
with three of our own does to compete in the class? Anne took in her old friend
of almost 10 years, ARMCH Rosasharn's Baby Bella *D, Heather took Sandy and Margiana
took her own doe, ARMCH Goodwood Water Lily *D. The does in this class are the
cream of the crop, representing many fine herds. To our astonishment, the first
three animals in the final line-up were: Water Lily, Sandy and Bella! We were
shocked...and elated. What a show! The icing on the cake came for us at the conclusion
of the buck show. Dispite his trauma of the previous days, and some very stiff
competition, ARMCH Goodwood Tom Thumb +*S--The 1997 National Champion--took the
National title for the second time! This was a day of a life-time. With adrenaline
still pumping, we packed our goats and belongings, said our good-byes and headed
home. As we drove north we reflected on the wonderful time we had had and all
the great folks we'd visited. We basked in the afterglow of our successes and
were grateful for the animals we've had the opportunity to purchase and use as
foundations for our breeding program. We were so proud that does of our own breeding,
Bella at age 9 1/2 and Sandy at two, had proved themselves and done so well.
We are proud of one another and grateful, also to Randy Rockney (husband and
father) for his love and support. This show was at the same time both the culmination
of many years of planning and hard work and a time to look forward to the future
and set new goals for the direction our breeding program will take.
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Come see the BIG DIPPER"
United
Caprine News 10/01
 "Swelling
bellies, Filling udders, These are all expecting mothers..." I think about our
expecting mother, Lupe, as I read down the poem that is posted above the milk
stand in the milk room. Exactly one week until Lupe's due date and she is really
wide. Last year she had 4 kids. I'm expecting big numbers this year too. Mom
came through the milk room door with B'Udder Cup, the next doe in line to be
milked. Mom looked worried "What's wrong, "I said, a little scared. She replied,
"Eclipse is bleating and shivering. I took her temperature and it's only 100
degrees. It's supposed too be about 103 degrees." Oh no, not Eclipse, no not
her, she is our top milker. Last year alone she produced 1,334# of milk!! and
she is a ARMCH!! and she was sired by the 1997 and 2000 national champion buck.
Oh-no not Eclipse!! I ran out to see her, sure enough mom was right. She was
shaking and bleating. She was due in three weeks and she was pretty wide, I felt
her tendons out of habit and they where gone!!! Was she in labor? Had we marked
the dates wrong on the calendar? I then felt her udder it was not full but had
some colostrum Weird I reported this info to mom, she said "When I'm don milking
I'll take another look at Eclipse, why don't you go feed the baby bucks, and
then go and check on Linden (my 5 month old brother) and Robin (my 6 year old
brother) and then I'll meet you up there." I finished my choirs and went into
the house to check on my brothers. Mom came in about 10 minutes later with a
confused look on her face, she said "It does not make sense, but you can listen
to the nursery monitor, and if you here something go out and check. I'm going
to go get grain, see you soon!!" I played cards with Robin while I listened keenly
to the monitor and then I herd it, a low strained grunting sound. I flew down
the stairs only touching every 3rd or 4th step and slipped on the first pair
of shoes I came to and flew out the door. I found Eclipse in the corner pushing
. I grabbed the kidding bag and ran into the pen, I spoke up through the monitor
"Robin hurry up if you want to see this birth." Eclipse got up and walked in
a circle then laid back down, Robin arrived and I told him "I don't think mom
is going to make this delivery." as Eclipse pushed again. Suddenly mom came in
the barn saying "Is every thing all right?" Before I had time to answer Eclipse
gave another push this time she screamed, and I could see feet!!! I grabbed a
towel and knelt down next to Eclipse, she took another breath while I held my
breath, then two legs and a head came out and the rest of the body slipped out
into my open towel. I dried the kid off, it gave a little cry and I new I had
don my part and it was time to let Eclipse do her part. I handed the kid to her
so that she could lick it. Mom said a little disappointedly "Its really big,
I bet its a buck." I knelt down and looked under the tail, "Its a doe!!!" I shouted
out joyously "A beautiful doe." And she was. She looked kind of like her sire,
dark buckskin with a little white over lay. Her dam, ARMCH Rosasharn's Eclipse
2*D is chocolate brown with some white over lay in the shape of an Eclipse, therefore
she earned her name "Eclipse". The kids' white over lay was in the shape of the
big dipper with the handle running down her left rear leg. So we had too follow
the celestial tradition and name her "Rosasharn's Big Dipper." We got Big Dipper
and Eclipse settled in the kidding stall with clean hay, grain, and water, and
then weighed Big Dipper, she was 41/2 pounds!! She was truly a BIG Dipper. That
night when dad got home from work I said "Come see the Big Dipper." And he did
not even notice that it was cloudy up in the sky because we saw the clearest
most beautiful Big Dipper ever. The End
A
true story by Margiana Petersen-Rockney (11 years old) |
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