This week I am kicking off one of
my favorite times of the year, county fair season. I know some of you have
already had your fairs buy most will be happening in the next three weeks. There is nothing more refreshing and wholesome
than a county fair. I must admit that I am somewhat addicted to going to county
fairs and maybe that explains why I look forward to judging them each year.
Yes, I have been judging county
fairs now since I graduated from college and that would be…. Well, let’s just
say its more than I have fingers and toes. It can be hot, sometimes you leave
really, early in the morning and other times you get back really, late at night,
but it is always worth the time and effort. Each fair I judge I am reminded of
why I do it and often come away with a good story. I thought I would share a
couple of my favorite memories.
Often, it’s the little moments. I
remember one fair I was judging the swine show and specifically junior
showmanship. I like to pull the kids aside and ask them questions about their
project like what they are feeding their hogs. I asked one young man that
question and he told me to wait right there. He then ran over to the fence and
yelled to his dad to bring a bag of feed over to him because the judge wanted some
feed.
One time while judging a bucket
calf show I asked one young man if there was anything else he wanted to tell me
about his project. Keep in mind this was over the microphone so the whole crowd
could hear it. He looked kind of sheepish and said that since this was in public
it might be a good time for a confession. That got the crowd’s attention.
He went on to tell us about how
he was practicing with his calf and his dad was helping. Somehow, they got a
little close to his mother’s new car and the calf kicked it making a small dent
in the fender. His dad told him not to tell anyone and his mother would never
know. However, it had bothered him, and he needed to confess. He thought since
it was in front of everyone his mother would not be as mad.
For many years I was an Extension
Agent and I was sympathetic toward the plight of my fellow agents and the number
of judges they had to find and for some of the most unusual projects. I was
judging other projects when the agent asked me to judge the emu show. Yes, the
big flightless bird kind of emu show. I told her I was not qualified but she
insisted that I would be and said it was a brother, sister and cousin showing.
I went to the pens, looked the
birds up and down and acted like I knew what I was doing. My FFA poultry judging
was coming in handy but on a much bigger scale. After serious contemplation I
could not decide which bird was the best, so I called the three together for a
conference. The brother and sister told me that they had been champion the last
two years and it was their cousin’s turn. I made the cousin’s bird champion emu
(although I did not walk into the pen and slap it). I have often thought that
was the only show I have ever judged where everyone showing walked away
completely happy with my decision, that is why I am officially retired from
judging emus.
There are times when the memory
is funnier later than it is immediately following the show. One time while
judging a beef show I walked up to a steer to feel if it had adequate finish on
its ribs. It seemed a little jumpy, so I asked the young man on the halter if
his steer kicked. He said no, so I went in to handle it and the steer
immediately kicked me in the knee. Not wanting to show pain or cry in front of
the packed grandstands I gritted my teeth and stood there for a second until
the pain subsided. I then looked at the showman mentioned that he said the
steer didn’t kick. That was when he explained that his steer did not kick, and
this was his cousin’s and he was showing it because it was ornery.
My favorite moments judging fairs
are not slapping the champion although that can be a great moment when you know
the youth has spent a lot of time and effort on their entry and it means a lot
to them. My favorite moments and the reason I still judge shows are the kids
and parents who come up afterward to tell me more about their projects. The
people are the reason I love judging shows and I am sure this year’s fairs will
give me more memories and probably more great stories so stay tuned in.
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