Fair experience is priceless
Hanging out with friends and showing with peers are highlights of participating in the county fair.
That is exactly what Sarah Parker, Katy Parker and Sami Bunting are doing during this week’s Livingston County Ag Fair in Pontiac. The three members of the Tractor Wheels 4-H Club are constantly learning lessons while having fun at the same time.
“We meet new people every year then we get to know them and the 4-H crew just keeps getting bigger,” explains Sarah, who is showing two angus heifers and three barrows.
Katy is also showing three barrows and one angus heifer while Bunting has two shorthorn heifers at the fair. Cows show on Friday so the three will be responsible for rinsing them and making them look shiny in the morning before actually showing.
Rachel Duffy of the Pontiac Power Rockets club showed her Australian Shepherd dog for the second year. She had a successful run previously at was hoping for the same result this time around.
“I actually won the show in showmanship,” Duffy said. “I was pretty proud of us.”
Showmanship is based on the person showing and working with a dog to the best of their ability.
“It would be great to win again, but if I don’t it’s all good.”
Ty Harms, a member of the Fairbury Prairie Farmers 4-H, had a big day at the fair Wednesday as his cow Milkshake won her two-year-old cow class, receiving Champion Jersey and Grand Champion Dairy Cow. Harms was very excited, noting this could have been his last year but he will most likely show next year now.
“I might just bring one cow and show the one I won with this year if she’s that good,” he said.
Harms has been showing all five years of his 4-H career and has also done woodworking for four of those years and visual arts for three. He especially enjoys the dairy aspect of the fair where he gets to “hang out in the barn” with friends and family.
The 2021 Livingston County Ag Fair runs through Saturday at 4-H Park near Pontiac with numerous events planned each day.
