Crede Garriott

Crede Garriott, is from Scottsburg, Indiana, where he and his fiancee, Brooklyn Graham, own and operate Garriott Ranch. He is about to walk into the Breeding Doe show at the Ohio State Fair. Crede was raised on his family’s nationally recognized Maine-Anjou cattle operation. Today his focus is on producing elite show goats for junior exhibitors across the country. Crede has also been very fortunate to stay involved in the industry through judging, fitting, consulting with breeders and exhibitors, to hosting clipping and fitting clinics for exhibitors across the country. In his free time, Crede enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also enjoys reading a good science fiction novel.

Crede’s journey in the goat industry started with what was supposed to be nothing more than an extra 4-H project. “Looking back, it’s hard to believe one Boer doe would ultimately shape the course of my life. What started as a project, quickly became an obsession. I wanted to understand every aspect of the industry. I was fascinated by breeding better livestock, but I was equally consumed by clipping, fitting, and evaluating them. I spent countless hours studying good ones, asking questions, and trying to understand what separated the elite from the average.”

Later, Crede’s obsession became his career, as he is now focused on helping young exhibitors across the country. “That obsession eventually became a career. It has given me the opportunity to work with breeders and exhibitors across the country, judge shows, teach clipping and fitting clinics, and continue building the program at Garriott Ranch. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine where life would have taken me without that one extra 4-H project.”

“I’ve always believed the ability to consistently evaluate livestock at a high level is one of the rarest skills in our industry.”

Crede’s spark of judging livestock came from watching the greats in the ring. “Everyone’s spark is different, but mine came from watching the greats sort livestock. To me, being asked to judge a show has always represented one of the highest levels of credibility and respect a stockman can earn. Wanting to achieve that level of credibility is what sparked my interest. I wanted to develop the ability to clearly articulate what my eye was seeing and the confidence to step behind a microphone and explain the decisions I was making. Evaluating livestock has never been about having an opinion. It’s about earning the credibility that allows people to trust your judgment.”

Crede’s parents, Tom and Denise, have always been his biggest supporters in his judging career.

“They gave me the opportunity to grow up in the livestock industry, helped develop my eye for livestock, and instilled in me the work ethic and values that continue to guide me today.I’m also grateful for the many mentors throughout the livestock industry who have invested in me throughout my career. If there’s one person I’ll mention by name, it’s Lary Duncan. Lary expected excellence from himself and everyone around him, and that had a tremendous impact on me. He taught me to never be content with “good enough,” to think differently, and to challenge conventional thinking.”

Crede’s goat operation has shaped his judging philosophy in many ways. He has had the opportunity to work with and be around some truly elite does.

“I’ve also been lucky enough to raise some that have gone on to win prominent shows across the country. That experience at the upper echelon has been important. But it’s the regular shows, county fairs, and jackpots that give you perspective on the species as a whole. Understanding what separates the elite from the common is what shapes anyone’s judging philosophy, not just my own.”

“Evaluating is not as simple as going down a checklist.”

Crede goes into the ring knowing that every animal that enters the ring is different, and it’s important to recognize that.

“I am not a single trait evaluator, so my approach is to identify quality pieces and traits. This allows me to separate my top and bottom quickly and efficiently.”

When Crede sits back to pick the champion and he evaluates his judging philosophy he asks himself one thing, “Would I be excited writing a check to load that doe onto my trailer? If the answer is yes, then that’s the kind of female I want to reward. Elite females own the EST’s. They’re the soundest, best designed, longest fronted, biggest backed, stoutest featured, biggest footed, and the list goes on. They don’t just have one or two of those qualities, they stack them.”

“The basics never go out of style.” Crede believes it all starts with structure.

“ I always look for a good structured one because you can’t build a house without a good foundation. She needs to be flexible and pliable at the ground while being athletic. At the end of the day, she needs to be built to last and made up of genuine quality.” Crede believes the skeleton is the blueprint of any animal. “It tells a story that can’t be told with muscle and hair. We can’t peel back the hide and watch them work, but a good skeleton doesn’t have to convince you. You can watch that structure at work in the ring, and it never lies. Every stride, every turn, every step is a glimpse at what’s underneath.”

“Femininity is an attraction factor.” Everything starts with structure but femininity and look is what draws you in.

“A doe should still look like a female first. But I want a stout, powerful one, however I will not sacrifice refinement. The best ones make power look effortless and balance is just as important. I don’t want to have to apologize for any one piece. The pieces need to complement each other. When everything is proportional and flows together, those are the does that catch and hold your eye the moment they enter the ring.”

To a Young Showman:

“The show ring is one of the few places where young people repeatedly experience uncontrollable outcomes despite maximum effort.”

“Having a mentor, staying consistent, and being hungry all help. But learning to compete and lose with grace while controlling the variables you can, and developing resilience, tenacity, and respect for the process-will pave the road to success. I’d rather see a young showman lose with character and decorum than someone who wins without having learned and earned those values. One of the things that helped me most was taking something from every loss and shaking every hand.”

To someone getting started judging:

“Your reputation and your integrity are everything. It takes years to earn credibility and one show to ruin it. Learn your reasons and apply them with honesty and integrity. There will always be pressure. In the end, you won’t be remembered for how you placed them or even what you said about them. You’ll be remembered for whether you were fair.”