Week of shows underway at Crawford County Fair
Goats are the most popular of all projects at the fair.
BUCYRUS - Projects displayed this week at the Crawford County Fair have a chance to change the world, Gabrienna Wilson learned this spring when she chose to take beekeeping.
"They're declining," the 17-year-old, first-year 4-H member said Saturday during judging. "It was very interesting learning about all of the diseases they can get."
Her project was one of more than 1,000 that was taken to the county's fairgrounds over the weekend, and will remain on display throughout most of the week.
Wilson decided to finally join 4-H this year after hearing how much fun her mother had in 4-H when she was younger. In addition to beekeeping, she also took photography. She liked both projects.
"I'm trying to talk my parents into letting me get a market goat next year," Wilson said.
Goats are actually the most popular of all projects at the fair, according to Allison Cooper, 4-H youth development educator for Crawford County. Of the more than 500 animals at the fair, nearly 100 are goats.
Cooper spent most of the day Saturday helping with judging for the 4-H book projects, which will all be displayed in the clubs' booths.
"It's always nice to talk with the kids and see what they've been doing," Cooper said. "I was very impressed with the kids I talked to."
Non-livestock activities include speech contest, demonstrations, the style review and the royalty contest. Market and breeding shows and showmanship will take place throughout Thursday.
The booths that club members put together over the weekend will be judged Monday.
Results from most of the week's shows will be displayed on a board at the end of the booth building.
Friday will see all the fair's best showmen come together for the Showman of Showmen competition at 5 p.m. There's also a judging contest noon Friday, where exhibitors will be shown a pen of several animals to rank from top to bottom. An actual judge will let them know how well they did.
"They're open just like any of the other shows," Cooper said of Friday's events. "People are welcome to come watch."
The livestock sale starts at 9 a.m. Saturday. Champions go first, then all of the other animals by species after.
It's a long, rewarding week for 4-H exhibitors, said Sheba Sulser, 15, who has been showing for 10 years. This year, she's showing a dairy market feeder.
"I've done hogs and rabbits before," she said. "I plan to do feeders the rest of my high school career. I might try something else, but they're definitely my favorite."
Sulser was a princess last year. This year, she's on the Junior Fair board. Doing both in the same year might be too much work, she decided.
"It was cool to see how the two work together," Sulser said. "I might try for queen next year. We'll see."