fair share
Fair brings kids, animals together
Nicole Tavenner
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Karen Peterson
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Nicole Tavenner
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Karen Peterson
Nicole Tavenner
Karen Peterson
Nicole Tavenner
Karen Peterson
Nicole Tavenner
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Karen Peterson
Linda Sappington
Nicole Tavenner
Karen Peterson
Linda Sappington
Kent Luetzen
Nicole Tavenner
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Nicole Tavenner
Karen Peterson
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Kent Luetzen
Nicole Tavenner
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Karen Peterson
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Linda Sappington
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Children from all over Lake County worked hard to prepare critters of all kinds to compete at the fair.
About a dozen kids traded in their required black-and-white attire on Friday for a little less serious fun during the first Barnyard Costume Contest. Mary walked through the arena wearing a pink and white dress and large bonnet and everywhere she went her little lamb followed, although Mary’s real name is Haley Bergh.
Fairy princess Morgan Shepard and her dragon-steer also made their way into the arena. The black steer developed green-checkered scales with the magic of livestock paint. His little wings were held on with Duct tape.
Mary Poppins showed up to walk the arena with her carousel pony, which was really led by Lilia Mitchell, 10. About a dozen other kids showed up in costumes to match their animals. The redundant bunny with a double set of ears was held by Lina Sturman.
She said it takes a lot of work to prepare for the fair. She competed in the rabbit division. The judge was impressed that the 10-year-old described her rabbit with the word malocclusion, which means the front teeth don’t meet.
“You have to clean them, brush them, and flip them,” Lina said of her rabbits. The flipping part refers to turning the bunny over on its tummy.
The kids made sure their furry friends didn’t get too hot by supplying them with ice packs to lay on during the judging.
Kiera DenDekker, 16, fluffed up her Lionhead rabbits for the judges. Her junior buck had great confirmation for an 11-week-old. She said she enjoyed showing her animals and hanging out with her friends during the event.
Courtney Snyder, 16, said there is one trick to getting the bunnies to sit on a table like little statues during the judging.
“Unless they are lazy, it takes practice,” she said.
After the contest on Wednesday, Jack Rodighiero said he wished he had practiced more with his cat, but he did well for his first year.
“I did this to try a new thing and stop sitting at my computer playing video games,” he said.
Joanie Mercer, 11, brought Elizabeth Taylor to the fair, although the cat didn’t like getting out of her box.
“You have to learn that your cat can’t be the leader, you have to be the leader,” she said.
And the best way to train a cat is to scold them, she said, which consists of not getting a treat. Praise involves getting the treat.
Kane Olson said practice was also the secret to showing larger animals. He picked up the reserve grand champion with a 2-year-old heifer.
Many of the kids said they start working with their animals or at least planning for the next fair as soon as the current one is over.
