2008

Livingston County Fair withstands stormy downpours for week of fun and entertainment

   Livingston County Fair board members say a little less rain and storms would have been appreciated during fair week as the annual fair was in town. Nevertheless, most of the week’s events went off with hundreds enjoying the animals, exhibits, horse shows, stunt cars, truck and tractor pulls and live music nightly in the festival tent.

   Farmers prepared their best animals for nightly shows. Laureen Howe of Old Glory Farms in Wayland showed one of her ewe lambs, Sally (named after the reporter who photographed her getting shampooed for the show), who earned a blue ribbon. Sally was moving on to the Erie County fair and then to the New York State Fair.

   Fourteen-year old Colin Callan of Callan Farms in Caledonia, spent Thursday afternoon trimming the hair on the back of his cow, aiming for the triangle look that would impress the judge’s eye at the evening’s dairy cattle show.

   In the next pen, Ethan Pies of York was tending to his two mules, Lil’ JJ and Kenny, who were amazingly well behaved at the fair! Their neighbors, goats raised and shown by Rebecca and Ben of York and Alex of Lima, attracted plenty of attention from the children visiting the fair. Naturally, the horses brought plenty of oohs and aahs from fair goers, especially the feisty mustang owned by Rebecca from the Estes family farm in Scottville. All in all, it is the agricultural element that makes the fair, a fair!

   Many blue, red and white ribbons were handed out throughout the week. Many local 4-H kids showed in the dairy cattle competition, some as young as 6 and others as old as 17, but all hoping to take home a ribbon for their year-long efforts to raise a first place dairy cow. Ryan Callan won Master Showman for his mature handling of his cow and Tyler Harrington won Reserve Master Showman, also showing impressive promise in handling his animal.

  From the Stein farms, the littlest showman, six-year old Kerrie and her 8-year old brother, Dillon, stole the show as the judge leaned over to their eye level to talk to the youngsters and encourage them in the efforts.

   There were no surprises in the fierce garlic competition. Russell Barber again walked away with the blue ribbon. Steve Polo took second and Mike Monacelli took third. Oddly, all of the growers are using offshoots of Barber’s garlic!

   In the culinary exhibit, Alex Polo of Caledonia earned another blue ribbon for this year’s creative entry, the Ipod cake.

   The grange building was alive with color from the numerous entries of cut flowers and potted plants, as well.

   Eleven lucky kids took home a brand new bicycle, compliments of generous donors including Alhart Funeral Home, Mike Mooney, McDuffie Sand & Gravel, Bank of Castile/Tompkins Insurance, Blair Supply/Felix Valentino, Commodity Resource Corporation, Barefoot Septic and Sewer, Elam Materials, Bill and Bob Jones, Livingston County Fair and Lakeview Construction.

   Bike winners were: Martin Callan, Alex Polo, Haille Evans, Tia Carlsons, Dylan Coyle, Scott McCoy, Josh Hanbach, Andrea Coyle, Maia Scott, Allyson Baeder and Josh Rabidoux.

   After a brief respite, fair organizers will begin planning for the 2009 Livingston County Fair.

For the complete 2008 slide show …