Expanded fairground helps youth showcase animals, talents at Lake County Fair
Lake County Fair/Pioneer Days delight kids, adults
Berl Tiskus
Linda Sappington
Manny Barber didn't want to touch the fish he caught at the fishing derby.
Megan Strickland
Kids are doused during Sunday's Pioneer Days parade in downtown Ronan.
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Cowboys jump to attention to upright panels after a wayward calf knocked them over during the market beef show July 30 at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
Berl Tiskus
Beef showmanship
Megan Strickland
Swine showmanship
Berl Tiskus
Jane Knutson waits for the rabbit showmanship class to begin.
Megan Strickland
Class of 1964 at the Lake County Fair parade.
Megan Strickland
Clay Wadsworth gets a hand catching a chicken.
Megan Strickland
Lake County Fair parade.
Megan Strickland
Dairy cows at the Lake County Fair.
Megan Strickland
Dairy cow being shown at Lake County Fair.
Dinner at the fair.
Megan Strickland
Eden Mitchell and a chicken at the Lake County Fair.
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
The Flathead Nation flag carried onto the fairgrounds.
Berl Tiskus
Kids compete in a foot race at the fair.
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Gus Bosley
Berl Tiskus
Hopping at the fair.
Berl Tiskus
Katherine Bartel is thrilled by a Lake County Fair sack race.
Berl Tiskus
A sack race at the fair brought on some giggly good fun.
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Liam Wills ride a wooly beast at the fair.
Berl Tiskus
A line of steers wait patiently at the Lake County Fair.
Berl Tiskus
Little bull riding at the fair.
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Little bull riding at the fair.
Megan Strickland
A young cowboy rides a bull at the fair.
Megan Strickland
Marge Fay hands out miniature flags at the fair.
Megan Strickland
Ronan's mayor waves to the crowd.
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Morgan Miller rides his black stallion at the Lake County Fair.
Megan Strickland
A crowd of people enjoy watching the Lake County Fair parade on Main Street.
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Getting the "eye" from a Lake County Fair contestant.
Megan Strickland
Kiddie/City Slicker Rodeo
Megan Strickland
Kiddie/City Slicker Rodeo
Megan Strickland
The "ring of fire" at the Lake County Fair.
A golden light shines on a waiting equestrian.
The Ronan Woman's float in the Lake County Fair parade.
Berl Tiskus
Catching some air during the sack race at the fair.
Megan Strickland
Berl Tiskus
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Shawnte Erickson loses his hat.
Berl Tiskus
Ronnie Cullis
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Berl Tiskus
Checking in the sheep.
Megan Strickland
Contestants discover sheep dressing sounds easier than it is.
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Sierra Symington and her cat.
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Lights shine on the street dance following the fair.
Berl Tiskus
Lights shine on the street dance following the fair.
Berl Tiskus
Cooking at the fair.
Megan Strickland
A mini train entertains tiny fair goers.
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Twin brothers work together in a wheelbarrow race.
Berl Tiskus
Big-Red
Megan Strickland
Tyler Delaney at the Lake County Fair.
Megan Strickland
An unsuspecting calf has no idea it's about to be chased around the arena.
Getting all wet at the Pioneer Days Parade.
Getting all wet at the fair.
Berl Tiskus
Wheelbarrow racing at the Lake County Fair.
Berl Tiskus
A young cowboy watches how it's done at the Lake County Fair.
Berl Tiskus
Wishing he was out there, a young cowboy watches from the sidelines at the fair.
Berl Tiskus
Children in a foot race at the fair.
Berl Tiskus
Rodeo roping at the fair.
Megan Strickland
Pairing up to ride at the fair rodeo.
Megan Strickland
Aayal Love and Wyatt compete at the fair.
The Symington sisters barrel race at the Lake County Fair.
Megan Strickland
Calf dressing
Berl Tiskus
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It is not proper etiquette to bring your goat to the dinner table, but when you are sitting at the fair chowing down on delicious barbecue there might be an exemption for that rule.
Snowflake, a small goat showed by young Bryanne Zempel, was so famished after strutting his stuff at the small fry stock show in the Lake County Fair last week that he couldn’t help but climb the bleachers and plop down next to some human friends who were tearing into some grub.
Snowflake’s tongue darted out of his mouth as he sniffed the air through a slightly snotty nose and craned his head toward a plate of meat, eyeing it with an expression crossed between a leer and curious hunger. He tentatively nudged his mouth toward a laughing lady’s plate before young Bryanne convinced a friend to go and explore the fairgrounds. Leaping from the bleachers, the girl yanked the leash and they were off on an adventure, running through the crowd as fast as the trio’s tiny legs could carry them.
There was plenty to experience. This year’s fair was one of the biggest and best yet, in part because of new expanded grounds that gave people more room to do things, fair organizers said.
Bingo and a barbecue smoke off were new events that people enjoyed in addition to longtime staples. Kids giggled and beamed as they took part in sack races and three-legged races during the Lion Club games. People swayed to the evening bands, entered their best pies and photos into contests and enjoyed cotton candy from the vendors.
The week was overwhelmingly about children and animals who worked for several months in preparation for the event. Some of the animals were auctioned off and bound for slaughter in an effort to raise scholarship money. Others will likely be back next year.
Aryal Love and her dog Wyatt didn’t have a perfect run on the agility course, but they intend to give it another go in the future.
“He had so much fun,” Love said. “He was excited. He loves agility.”
Dog superintendent Jan Lake said 4-H members begin preparing for competition in February with weekly meetings and additional one-on-one training sessions if necessary. Dogs are required to go through an obstacle course and demonstrate obedience to commands.
Ryan Harrop, 14, and her dog Zoe went through the obedience portion almost perfectly.
Harrop has worked with Zoe since she was a puppy and this was the young dog’s second year to compete.
“She got better this year,” Harrop said. “It’s very rewarding. It’s fun to see your dog finally accomplish something you’ve been training them for.”
The duo plans to compete again next year, but for now Harrop is happy about how the training will help keep Zoe in line the rest of the year.
“She’s more mannerly when she meets people,” Harrop said.
