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Fair
schedule
Thursday,
Aug. 3
8:00
a.m. - 4-H Beef; 4-H and Department H Junior Sheep
1:00
p.m. - Kid's Day-Kid's Way, at south end of grounds, under tent
1:30
p.m. - Harness racing
4:00
p.m. - Winning Smile Contest, in Special Events Building
5:00-6:00
p.m. - Flying Feet Cloggers, in front of Special Events Building
6:00
p.m. - Luehrs' Ideal Rides open
6:30
p.m. - Tractor Pull Contest
Friday,
Aug. 4
8:00
a.m. - Department F Sheep
8:00
a.m. - Department G Swine
10:00
a.m. - Department O Cakes and Candies (open judging)
11:00
a.m. - Department L Potted Plants and Glads (closed judging)
11:00
a.m. - 4-H livestock and article consignment deadline
1:30
p.m. - Harness racing
2:00-4:00
p.m. - Pick up 4-H premium checks at 4-H office at north end of
fairgrounds
3:00
p.m. - Senior citizens entertainment, in Special Events Building
4:00
p.m. - Lin Pro dance, in front of Special Events Building
6:00
p.m. - Luehrs' Ideal Rides open
7:00
p.m. - Pig and Calf Scramble meeting
7:30
p.m. - Children's Chicken Scramble and Goat Scramble
8:00
p.m. - Pig Scramble (ages 9-15 as of Aug. 6, 2000)
9:00
p.m. - Calf Scramble (ages 12-17 as of Aug. 6, 2000)
Kid’s
Day-Kid’s Way 2000
Special
contests for kids at the fair
[AUG.
3, 2000]
The
theme of Kid’s Day-Kid’s Way 2000 at the Logan County Fair is
"Mark the Millennium." Events for kids ages 2 to 12 will
be from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, in the South Exhibition
Building. Winners will receive prizes and tickets for Luehr’s
Ideal Rides.
Competition
and concessions -
1-3 p.m.
Competition
-
Jump
rope
-
Hula
hoop
-
Water
balloon toss
-
Obstacle
course
-
and
more!
Concessions
Contests
- 3-4 p.m.
- Longest and shortest
braid
- Longest and shortest
pigtails
- Mom/daughter look-alike
- Dad/son look-alike
- Mom/son look-alike
- Dad/daughter look-alike
- Sibling look-alike
- Best "2000"
attire
- Guessing jar
[Reid Conklen (at right) of New Holland, winner of the 4-H Best
Crops Exhibit, receives the Marvin Hasenmyer Memorial Award,
presented by Laurel Hasenmyer.]
(To
top of second column)
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Greeters
at the gate
[AUG.
3, 2000]
The
first people to greet visitors who enter the Logan County
Fairgrounds are unsung heroes. The gatekeepers work diligently each
day of the fair from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. without receiving much
publicity or glamour. However, this is a job they wouldn’t trade
for anything.
[Jack Kuznik and Dave McGraw have manned the West
Gate for around 30 years.]
An
overall favorite of the gatekeepers is "meeting new
people."
According
to Dave McGraw, the best part is "remembering the old
acquaintances and meeting new people." McGraw first started
working the gates in 1966 and still loves every minute of the job.
[Ace Hinman meets and greets at the East Gate.]
Harrison
Turley, a 10-year veteran gatekeeper, says, "We get especially
busy from about 4:00 on. The demolition derby is my favorite, and it’s
also one of the busiest days."
Ace
Hinman has been working the Logan County Fair gates for 40 years.
Hinman exclaimed, "This job is great; the people are great; and
best of all, people really don’t complain, and that makes this job
easier."
So
if you head out to the fair this week, give the gatekeepers a warm
hello. They’ll appreciate the friendliness.
[Cassie
Hewitt]
Businesses
meet the public
at the fair
[AUG.
3, 2000]
The
midway walk and Exposition Building of the Logan County Fairgrounds
has proven to be the perfect site for local businesses to advertise.
Business such as P&M Communications have been manning booths at
the Logan County Fair for 13 years, elaborated owner Bob Metz.
"Business really excels after the fair, especially for two
months afterwards," Metz exclaimed.
There
were also a few first-timers at the fair this year, including
businesses such as Lincoln Logan Insurance Service and Drake Eyecare
Center. These businesses are hoping to gain a boost in customers due
to advertising at the fair, similar to that of P&M
Communications.
Although
advertising comes first, the employees of these businesses have
still found time for leisure activities. Harlan Atteberry and Robert
Jeckel, both of Lincoln Logan Insurance Services, feel that some of
the best things about the fair are "meeting people and visiting
the livestock barns." When Jeckel was growing up, "Coming
to the fair was my summer vacation. I was always showing animals, so
I practically lived at the fair."
For
area businesses, the fair proves to be an outstanding way to meet
new people and gain customers.
[Cassie
Hewitt]
Flowers,
arts, ceramics, rabbits take center stage
as the fair opens
[AUG.
2, 2000]
Competitions
were the order of business Tuesday morning as the Logan County
Fairgrounds in Lincoln played host to the beginning of the 64th
annual Logan County Fair. Contestants from all over the area took
aim at various titles in competitions featuring floriculture, arts,
ceramics and rabbit showing.
Judging
for the floriculture competition began at 11 a.m. as anxious
competitors put the finishing touches on exhibits. Pat LaForge of
New Holland has been involved in flower competitions at the fair for
"about 15 to 20 years." LaForge, along with her husband
Wayne, produced 81 entries for this year’s fair. LaForge excitedly
stated that competing "takes a lot of work, but it’s
definitely worth it!" Pat’s accomplishments in past
floriculture events include winning the Steve Gleason Memorial Award
last year. This award is presented to the contestant who displays
the best arrangement of three different types of cut flowers.
[Pat
and Wayne LaForge relax after presenting exhibits at the
floriculture competition.]
Also
presenting at the floriculture competition was two-time defending
state rose champion Dan Keil of Decatur. Keil and his daughter
Shawnda compete throughout the area at competitions including the
Macon County Fair, Illinois State Fair and Heart of Illinois Fair.
He noted, "We like to support the different fairs, but the
Logan County Fair always has one of the better flower shows. This
fair seems to show more flower exhibits than other fairs."
The
ceramics competition was overseen by Scotty Hinman of Lincoln, who
also teaches a ceramics class at the Lincoln Park District. As the
assistant superintendent in charge of ceramics, Hinman noted that
this year’s competition included 17 entries. According to Hinman,
her job is to "place the pieces in the correct category and to
make sure they are presented nicely. I am also present during
judging and when the exhibit closes so that the contestants can get
their things."
The
art competition shares the same building with ceramics. Art judge
Andrea Niehaus, a Lincoln resident, said, "I look for entries
with completeness, balance and originality. I like to see people put
their thoughts into perspective. It’s nice to see the
individuality of the artwork."
Amanda
Baker was one of the 152 artists exhibiting at this year’s fair.
The 12-year-old student at Zion Lutheran School in Lincoln won the
first prize blue ribbon for her colored pencil drawing. This was not
Amanda’s first taste of victory in the art field. She stated,
"I’ve had several first-place finishes, including a ‘Best
of Show’ award when I was 6 for a watercolor drawing."
[Amanda
Baker proudly displays her colored pencil artwork and blue ribbon.]
While
floriculture, ceramics and art competitions took center stage on the
midway, the livestock area was playing host to the 4-H Rabbit Show.
Among the competitors was 10-year-old Kaleb Gordon of Lincoln. Kaleb
garnered two first-place awards for New Zealand White rabbits. When
asked to name his favorite part of the fair, Kaleb exclaimed,
"I like everything, but mainly I just love rabbits!" He
also said, "I’ll be back Saturday to show my dogs."
[Kaleb
Gordon and his New Zealand White rabbit display their first-place
trophy and awards.]
[Cassie
Hewitt]
 Oldest
4-H’er is a lucky man
[AUG.
1, 2000]
How
many years does it take to be considered the oldest 4-H'er around
the hog barns at the Logan County Fair? Here in the town of Lincoln,
67 years in 4-H seems to be the going rate. That's right, Herb
Rogers of rural Emden has been involved with 4-H since he was 16
years old. In the early years, Herb showed dairy and beef cattle.
Later he moved on to showing hogs.
Herb
mentioned that he has a few favorite moments from being involved
with 4-H. Not necessarily choosing one thing as a favorite, Rogers
stated, "Meeting a lot of kind people was and still is a
favorite part of being involved with 4-H. It seems as time goes by,
the more you show with 4-H, the more friendly people you meet."
Rogers also said that "the competitiveness was always a
plus."
Even
though Herb was never a 4-H leader, he always encouraged kids to
start young. "It's a great thing for kids to be able to be
competitive and to want to win, but winning isn't everything."
The motto of the 4-H club is, "To make the best better."
Rogers also says, "Kids should never give up. Even if they
don't win at first, their turn will come along."
Rogers
remembers that as he was growing up, he worked extremely hard to
have his pig become a champion at the International Livestock
competition, but he never made it. Thereafter, Rogers worked even
harder with his oldest son, but still no luck. Finally, working to
their heart’s content, Roger, along with his youngest son,
Matthew, got their barrow (pig) to the competition. At that
competition Matthew received the Grand Reserve Champion barrow. From
there Matthew also got his barrow into the Governor's Auction, where
he received $14,500 for his pig. Herb remembers being envious and
happy at the same time. He was envious that he had never gotten the
chance to be in that position, but happy that his son had won.
Herb
Rogers says that there is life after being in 4-H. He loves to
attend showings. "It's always intriguing to be on the sidelines
to see how eager the kids are to win," he says.
These
days Herb is still around the fairgrounds, accompanying his
grandchildren during the 4-H shows. Last year he helped his
granddaughter, Casondra, show for the first time. This year it will
be his grandson, Matthew's, first time to show.
The
emblem of the 4-H members is the four-leaf clover. Herb said
excitedly, "I can go out into a clover patch and automatically
find a four-leaf clover. I must be a lucky man to be involved in
such a great program for so many years."
[Cassie
Hewitt]
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