XENIA — Blake Midlam won big at the fair this year, taking home several top prizes including the overall championship goat show Thursday morning.

Midlam said he has been showing goats as early as he could. Now 16, he first became eligible to show at age nine. In that time, he’s shown a variety of old and young goats and has earned his spot at the top prize. Midlam is a part of the Prime Producer’s 4-H group.

This year, Midlam’s six year old goat took the overall grand championship award after winning the same award in the senior division. The goat was born on his family’s farm and has been taken to the fair ever since.

“I thought I would do well,” he said. “But I didn’t know I would win as much as I did.”

One helpful trick Midlam learned was from the showmen who take their goats to state championships.

“They showed us how to sheer them,” he said, although he noted he didn’t really like how it made the goat look himself.

Midlam brought a herd of 11 goats with him to this year’s fair which, he said, is probably more than most.

With extra goats comes extra work. Midlam said he’ll typically bathe each goat the day before the show, then sand down the horns and polish them to keep them looking clean and strong.

Midlam will be leaving this year’s fair with three grand championship trophies and one reserve grand championship trophy.

Contact Ethan Charles at 937-502-4532.