Ledyard - Betty Ford was not paying attention and, to be honest, smelled like a barn. Still, she jumped over a bale of hay, weaved through chairs and avoided stopping for a snack.

Betty Ford, it should be noted, is a 6-month-old goat.

Her handler, Rachel Smith, was a participant in the first annual Goat Obstacle Course, held Friday night at the start of this year's Ledyard Fair. Rachel grabbed Betty Ford's collar and guided - or, perhaps more accurately, dragged - Betty Ford through the course, finishing the challenges in just over 30 seconds.

"I just have to let my goat run with me," said Rachel, a 10-year-old from Lebanon. "She's a baby and she likes to run."

Rachel's mother, Amy, organized the inaugural event through Lebanon's Great Goats 4-H chapter. Her children brought the newest generation of baby goats, or kids, all of whom where named after American presidents or first ladies.

"All the dead presidents went to auction," Rachel Smith declared, her parents blushing over the family's dark joke. (Her father clarified: The goats who were sent to the slaughterhouse - Lincoln, McKinley, Kennedy - were named after presidents who died in office.)

Circee Atkins, 11, of Griswold, was at the fair with her family, who were showing their sheep. Circee and her 8-year-old sister, Cori, took part in the inaugural contest.

"I guess she did good, even though she would not go over the hay bale or get on the stand," said the elder Atkins sister, describing Valentine, her uncooperative lamb. "I suppose we can practice for next year. I can set up some obstacles in the backyard and try to get her to go over them."

Every participant performed admirably, said Amy Smith, who let each participant select a prize from a plastic bag.

"The kids were great," she said. "The goats were good."

The obstacle course challenge was held at the same time as the weekend's most famous event, the Miss Ledyard Fair pageant. But though the competition drew a sizable crowd, it had the smallest slate of contestants in years, just five girls in the main event.

"So many girls are on yearbook. And they play sports. And they're still in Scouts," said Miss Ledyard Fair 1983, Michelle Hinton, who organized this year's pageant. "And this is just one more thing."

Still, the contest is widely viewed as the kickoff event of the fair. Upon being crowned, Miss Ledyard Fair 2010 will have duties all weekend, and a number of obligations throughout the year, Hinton said.

"They play a very important role in the community," she said.

Across the fairgrounds, Samantha Gagnon was a decidedly feminine presence at the tractor pull competition, though she was competing for ribbons, not a crown and sash.

"I did really well for my first time," said the grinning Samantha, a 10-year-old from Dighton, Mass. "They said I went more than 60 feet, which was good."

Samantha wore pink Converse sneakers and a purple cardigan, which matched "Lil Deb," the brand-new tractor, painted in matching colors.

"It's a John Deere, I swear," said her father, Jeff. "It just doesn't look like one."