2019 Logan County Fair

Page 132 2019 Logan County Fair LINCOLN DAILY NEWS July 28-August 4, 2019 WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019 S crambles provide a night of challenges and fun for 4-Hers Midway through the busy fair week, the 4-H Scramble Night allows children to release some energy as they cut loose and “scramble” to catch an animal that is let loose. On Wednesday night, the stands were filled with crowds cheering on the kids. After Lesleigh Bennett sang the National Anthem, the Clover Cheer Club opened the evening’s event with a cheer to inspire participants. In the scrambles, children organized by age groups worked to catch different sizes and types of animals turned loose on the track. Sixteen adorable children between ages five and seven scurried around trying to catch one of the many chickens. The kids learned just how challenging it could be as the chickens dodged back and forth hoping to escape capture. As each child caught the chicken, they were given a goodie bag and one lucky child caught the golden rooster, winning a $5 bill. Next up, 12 children between the ages of eight and 10 tried to harness one of six wily goats who were scrambling across the track. The first child to catch a goat wrestled with it as he tried to get a rope around it. Goat number five gave kids a run for their money before finally getting caught. Then 12 pre-teens and young teens between 10 and 15 years of age struggled and wrangled with six slick pigs slathered with conditioner, which can be a daunting task. To make it even more challenging, the kids arms are covered in soapsuds. The slippery pigs kept trying to slip out of their grasps and there was some added excitement when two pigs escaped into the stands and tried to slip under the bleachers before being caught and taken back to the track. For the final and most exciting part of the evening, 18 kids between the ages of twelve and eighteen participated in a calf scramble with them struggling to harness a big feisty calf that can weight up to 350 pounds. This feat took a lot of strength and skill and many times, the calves dragged the teenagers around the track as they tried to rope them. Still the sweaty and exhausted kids persevered as they attempted to catch a calf. Those who caught calves get to keep them to raise for next year’s steer competition to be judged next year during the scrambles evening. Eight of last year’s winners brought their calves back to be judged on grooming, confirmation and showmanship. The overall winner of this year’s steer competition was Vivian Pratt. The judge commended all of the steer competition contestants for their public speaking ability. Scrambles provide a night of challenges and fun for 4-Hers CONTINUE