There is a whole series of hoops to jump through, and as they say, it's an honor just to be there.
The fair has been part of our life for years. My parents took me when I wasn't tall enough to see over the sheep in the Sheep Barn. That's some fifty years ago now.
Like everything else, there have been some big changes since we first went. There is a big gateway arch and the Midway right out by the highway now - it used to be where we would park on Carload Wednesdays and my folks would let me bring a friend along to experience the Wisconsin State Fair.
This time though, we had to drive the truck and trailer since Harmon was showing his calf in the Spring Heifer Calf competition with other Holstien young stock.
We arrived early, in the time window we had been assigned to unload and find his spot in the Dairy barn. The calf had never rode that long in the trailer before, so it took a while to warm up to the new surroundings full of strange sounds and different smells than what he was used to back on the farm.
He's been going to State Fair for a while now, but the extra prestige of showing his own calf made it personal. I got a big kick out of watching him, and especially watching his dad, Scotty, fuss around with the straw bedding in the stall alongside the rest of kids showing calves from our county.
The people in charge of the barn told him that there was more at stake here than a livestock show; it's an opportunity for kids from the city to see where food comes from up close.
Because of that, the kids were on a tight schedule of sweeping the concrete walk between the animals for the outside guests. And, if something were to "hit the straw," that meant using a pitchfork and shovel to take care of the aftermath and dispose of it quickly.I noticed the kids teamed up to make a game out of the chore, which was a good idea for something that could certainly get old in a hurry.
Outside the barn was a nice area where the calves could be washed and brushed for their moment in front of the judges.
There was time to walk around, of course, and our first jaunt was to the Cream Puff Pavilion for the first of several delightful treats we would enjoy before heading home in a few days.
Harmon pointed out the stuff that was already different from last year and was excited to see the last day of our stay that Lady Antebellum would be on the Main Stage. He was a big fan of the country group and had been saving his money all summer to treat his parents to the show.
He asked me before we left home if I could help him with the calf that day so there would be enough time for him to get to the show.
"Of course, Harmon," I said. "I'd be glad to do it for another one of those Cream Puffs!"
We took in the Kids From Wisconsin show - cheering extra loud for the kid in the Band from Fennimore. It was nice to see him after the show, and I think he liked seeing another familiar face from back home.
A friend of mine who raises draft horses several miles from our place had a team of his Clydesdales at the fair. His best finish was with a foal who placed third overall. He was happy with that. He said he just liked getting out and driving the team in front of a supportive crowd, no matter what the results might be. The foal will join that team in a couple years.His draft horses finished fifth overall behind teams from Wisconsin, Georgia, Oklahoma, and nearby Illinois. Not bad for a guy from western Wisconsin.
Just before the end of our second day, Harmon put his calf through its paces for the judges. The calf stood still and looked good - not nearly as nervous as the kid at the other end of the rope.
He didn't win, but a top ten finish meant a trophy in his first trip to the Fair and got the whole family excited.
After getting the calf bedded down for the night, Harmon asked his dad for permission to head down the Midway with some of his new friends to celebrate. I slipped him a ten and told him to ride that big swing carousel for me.
Catch up on the series, Life On The Farm here.
Comments
Post a Comment