When Albino Archuleta of Ojo Caliente enrolled son José Luis Archuleta into the Young Guns 4H club when the boy was just eight years old, little did Albino know that their small farm would become filled with the livestock that José Luis now raises to show at the Rio Arriba County Fair.
José Luis, 15, is now the club’s president. He has won numerous awards, including six buckles just last year for the Boer goats, steers and hogs he raises to show at the fair.
“It’s a lot of time and a lot of work,” he said. “You’ve got to want to do it. If you don’t, it’s not going to work. It’s just something I got into and I liked it.”
That work starts at 5 a.m. with feeding the calves, walking the goats and feeding all the stock. A sophomore at Mesa Vista High School who plays basketball and qualified for the state track and field meet in the pole vault, taking care of the livestock and guard dog Pulver comes first. Pulver earns his keep, already with two coyote kills to his credit. After his animals are taken care of is when Archuleta thinks of himself.
“Then, I go get me some breakfast,” he said.
Archuleta can blame himself for a lot of that work. Starting with just a single Boer goat, he now has a breeding flock of 21 does and two bucks. That flock grazes in a field that Pulver patrols during the day. The offspring of that flock are what Archuleta raises for show. Some of the kids (young goats) are sold to other members of the club for them to raise.
He will be taking eight goats to the County Fair this week. Three will be shown in the ring by Archuleta.
“The rest are for my cousins to show,” he said. “Pretty much every year I give one away to a young club member.”
Boer goats are raised for meat rather than milk. Archuleta has learned what to look for in his stock.
He paid $2,000 for one of his bucks.
“Real wide over the top, muscular,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that I like about that goat. I’ve learned what to look for.”
The goats weigh anywhere from 80 to 150 pounds. Last year Archuleta received $1,000 for his market goat. They’re the lightweights among the animals that Archuleta raises.
When you move up to the steer and the heifer that he’s also raising to show, you’re talking over 1,000 pounds for each of them.
One of the challenges of raising these big animals is that the handler must be able to control them in the ring when they are shown, so Archuleta works with them daily and walks them so that he can lead them into and around the ring for the judges to admire.
There are separate awards given for showmanship.
“One of the things you’re judged on is how well you work with them and how well they work with you,” Albino Archuleta said.
His son José Luis has been raising steers and heifers for three years. He began raising hogs six years ago. This year he has three that he’s raising to show at the County Fair, including a Duroc, Hampshire and a Hampshire cross. The hogs are fed Moorman’s Feed specially formulated for hogs.
“You have to make sure they have plenty of water,” Jose Luis Archuleta said. “Clean the pen. They need a lot of attention.”
Raising the animals is just part of the lessons that Archuleta has learned. He actively goes out and finds buyers for all his animals so that they’ll be sold.
Not just his livestock are important to him as president of the Young Guns.
“He helps the other kids sell their livestock,” Albino Archuleta said.
A total of 38 animals are sold at the junior livestock sales Saturday at the Rio Arriba County Fairgrounds. That’s where the time, effort and money of Archuleta and others who raise livestock is rewarded.
Last year, Archuleta received buckles for having the grand champion steer, as well as over $6 a pound for the 1200-pound animal. He also won for County-bred steer for his steer that was born and bred in Rio Arriba, market goat, reserve hog, the Crystal Julian showmanship award and, finally, the Max Martinez Memorial for all-around. All-around winners have to show at least three species of large livestock and are awarded points based on where their livestock place with the judges.
It is believed that six buckles is the most ever awarded to a single contestant.
“Nobody has done what he has done,” Albino Archuleta said.
If that wasn’t enough, the Archuletas have chickens and guinea hens that they raise, but not for show. They go through feed by the ton and have plenty of hay stored in the barn.
José Luis is hoping to go to college and then return to the farm. He wants to learn how to be a livestock judge.
Albino is a single parent. Albino’s father raises a garden of green chile on the farm. The work seems daunting, but worth it to José Luis.
“If you’re not willing to put in the work, it’s not going to be good,” he said.
The County fair runs through Saturday at the Rural Events Center in Abiquiú. See the advertisement on page B5 for times of events. The fair closes with Saturday night’s live auction.