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Animal
Lovers go to the Fair, too!
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[August
2, 2003]
Everyone seems to have a favorite reason for going
to the fair. Maybe it’s the food, maybe it’s the rides. Could be
the queen pageant or the demo derby. There are lots of great
reasons to go to the fair. But if you’re a farmer at heart or an
animal-lover, it has to be the animals.
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This year’s Logan
County Fair offers a wide variety of animal events. There are
competitions for cats, rabbits, poultry, goats, sheep, swine, beef
cattle, dairy cattle, and horses. Harness racing has been a popular
event at the Logan County Fair for many years. In addition, the
horse show this year included several entertaining events. One of
it’s highlights was the youth barrel racing, which showed off the
talents of some local young people and their horses as they raced to
see who would have the fastest time through the barrel course.
Unlike some of the events for horses, most of the rest of the
livestock judging at the fair is based on the “correctness” of the
animal itself rather than it’s skill. Fair Judge Tammy Miller spent
many hours this week looking for the most correct hog in each of the
swine classes she judged. Each animal is compared to the standard
set for it’s particular breed, and the animals in the class that
best represent the breed standard will receive the highest
placements. To someone who can’t tell a barrow from a gilt (ask a
hog farmer), swine judging can appear confusing and somewhat
chaotic. Miller, who has been judging hogs for more than ten years,
seemed to be calm and in control. After assessing each class and
making her decision, she took a moment to explain what qualities she
saw in each animal. Miller, who is from the Dwight area, grew up on
a farm, was in 4-H, and her family continues to show and sell hogs.
It was at least partly her Dad’s encouragement that motivated her to
start showing hogs when she was younger. When asked if she judged
any other types of livestock, she replied that swine is her
specialty. Miller said her favorite part about judging is working
with the young 4-H exhibitors.
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She especially
appreciated how polite the kids were this week. Miller commented
that the exhibitors and their families really care about the animals
and have a good work ethic. She said these types of events can give
the young competitors a sense of accomplishment and are important
because agriculture is one of Illinois’ top industries. This year
was the first time Miller had been asked to judge at the Logan
County Fair.
Watching the judging
is certainly not the only way to take in the sights, sounds, and
smells of a farm. A stroll around the livestock area at the fair
could yield scenes such as a sheep being showered in preparation for
a show, a Brown Swiss cow apparently looking for a snack in a
dumpster, and last year’s calf scramble calves all grown up and
ready for their own class this year. If you haven’t yet spent any
time with the livestock and their exhibitors at the Logan County
Fair, maybe this is the time to see what you’ve been missing. One
last tip from a seasoned barn-walker: watch where you step.
[article and Pictures by
Carrie Schleich] |
