Oct 12 2009
Great time at the fair!
This last week, in Bonham, Texas we had our Fannin County Fair. This is a very busy time for many of the youth in the county. Preparing for the fair starts WAY before the actual fair starts, expecially if you are showing animals. The kids validate their market animals for the fair way back in June. So they have had possession of that animal or animals for 4 months before the fair ever gets here. They spend this 4 months feeding, training, exercising and conditioning that animal, trying to make that animal the best animal it can be; this means working in whatever weather Texas has to offer, heat, cold, wet, or dry. When the fair arrives that is where the kids are rewarded for their hard work.
This year at the fair was the first time since moving into our new facility, in 2005, that it was muddy. Boy, was it muddy! We’ve been very fortunate every year so far, and we have great facilities but the areas that are usually used for parking were not accessible this year. There was a new sound added to the music of all the animals, and that was the sound of someone racing their engines to get through the mud or trying to get out of a hole they accidently found. I think some of the kids drove through muddy spots on purpose, they were having a blast! There was not a clean car on the lot.
It rained everday we were there and mud boots were very fashionable this year. But, once you got parked and got under the big huge pavillion it was nice and dry so except for getting back and forth from your vehicle you were comfortable. There were many things to see even though the carnival had to be canceled because of the mud. The cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits were all still there plus there were exhibits in the big enclosed building that included the photo contest, food and fiber, horticulture, and other arts and crafts.
The sale on the last night of the fair is the highlight of the whole week. At the beginning of the sale they recognized all the supporters, board members and ag teachers, plus scholorships are awarded to the chosen seniors that applied. The auctioneer our fair uses has got to be one of the best around. He has such a good time doing his job and he harrasses the kids alot! He embarrasses them so bad, but it is great entertainment for the crowd too and it really gives the kids something to remember. I was a little worried when the grand champion steer only brough $1,600 but the sale as a whole ended up being pretty good, bringing in over $31,000 for the youth of Fannin County.
October is a big time in Fannin County. It’s a lot of hard work but it’s also alot of fun. the 4 days you are at the fair are long ones. We are always excited on the first day of the fair and also excited on the last day. At our house we plan nothing on the Sunday after the fair, that days is reserved for recovery. 
