2023 Logan County Fair

Logan county Fair 4-H night includes recognitions of 4-Hers, 2022 scramble calf judging, entertainment and of course the 2023 Scrambles

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[August 07, 2023]   Halfway through fair week, the 4-H scrambles allow children a chance to use up some energy as they scramble to catch an animal.

In the scrambles children are organized by age groups and work to catch different sizes and types of animals turned loose on the track.

Before the scrambles began Logan County 4-H Extension Director Terri Casey welcomed everyone followed by LDN’s own Lesleigh Bennett singing the National Anthem.

New fair royalty Queen Ellyn Martinez, Junior Miss Ellie Wrage and Little Miss Kodi Eigenbrod were also on hand.

The 4-H Cheer Club members led a few cheers to get the crowd excited for the scrambles.

Then it was time for the chickens to be released from a big cage.

Eighteen youngsters between the ages of five and seven scurried around trying to catch one of the eight chickens. It often proved to be a challenge as the chickens dodged back and forth to avoid capture. Charlee Gleason persisted and caught three chickens.

LDN’s own Heather Gaule also got in on the action when a chicken kept circling her. Seeing a little girl who was a bit scared to grab the chicken, Gaule grabbed it. With Gaule holding the chicken’s side and the child holding its top and bottom, they carried it to the middle together.

As each child caught a chicken, they were given a goodie bag. One lucky child who caught the golden rooster received a five dollar bill.

Next, twelve youngsters between the ages of eight and ten tried to rope one of the six wily goats scrambling around the track. Some of them wrestled with goat as they tried to get a rope around it.

Ten Pre-teens and young teens between the age of ten and fifteen wrangled with pigs lathered up with conditioner by the newly crowned fair royalty.

To make it even more challenging, participant’s arms are covered with soap suds.

The slathered pigs kept slipping out of the children’s grasps but were finally all caught.

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For the final and most exciting part of the evening, twelve youth between the ages of twelve and eighteen participated in a calf scramble, struggling to harness a feisty calf that may weigh up to 350 pounds.

Those who caught a calf get to keep them and raise them for next year’s steer competition, which is judged during the scrambles. Four of the calves played “hard to get” before finally being roped.

These calves will be brought back for judging at next year’s scrambles.

Last year’s winners brought their calves back to be judged on fitting, grooming, record keeping and showmanship.

This year’s overall winner for the steer competition Kennedy Finchum. There was initially a tie between Porter Schwantz and Kennedy Finchum. However, with the judge’s tiebreaker, Finchum placed first and Schwantz placed second. Rowan Allspach received third place.

In between scrambles, several were recognized for various accomplishments.

4-H scholarships were awarded to 4-H members Clay Aylesworth, Stephen Starasta and Klarissa Helton and 4-H alum Miranda Nelson.

Illinois State 4-H award winners were Sophia Schneider and Haven Henry.

Graduating seniors in 4-H included Jayda Allspach, Stephen Starasta and Paige Simpson.

The 2023 Hall of Fame award winner is Amy Hyde, who worked 20 years for the Logan County 4-H Extension office as a 4-H program coordinator. She was well known around the county as the coordinator for agriculture in the classroom in local schools. Students loved Hyde for the way she helped engage students and connect agriculture to the real world.

The evening’s events were lively and entertaining with all the children scrambling to catch the animals and thoroughly enjoy themselves. For the scholarship winners, the memories of their time in 4-H will likely last for years.

[Angela Reiners with Photos by Heather Gaule and JA Hodgdon]

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