Firing up the fair Adams County Fair opens Wednesday
Pigs are guided around the arena by their owners during market class competition at the Adams County Fair Wednesday.
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OTHELLO — The first day of the fair is always a frenzy of washing, brushing, primping, making sure everything looks just right. And that’s just the animals.
The Adams County Fair opened Wednesday at the fairgrounds just outside Othello, the livestock barns bustling, the exhibit building full, the 4-H and Rotary, Lions and Boy Scouts food booths busy.
Traditionally the first day of the fair is dedicated to judging non-livestock exhibits and market competition for livestock exhibitors. The show rings were busy with steers, pigs and sheep and their owners making the rounds under the watchful eye of the judges.
Market class is all about the animal, how it will be graded when it’s butchered – at least as far as the judge can tell when it’s still on the hoof. The exhibitor’s technique is less important than during fitting and showing competition. So it’s less of a crisis when a steer balks at entering the arena and requires a good hearty tug, or decides to try and make a run for it, in a test of strength and wills with its owner. The owner won.
Wednesday was a beautiful early fall day, in the low 70s at showtime. That’s a good thing for exhibitors and animals alike, since hot weather makes both animals and people cranky. The pigs in 4-H market competition were well behaved, even for the kids in the beginner classes. Well, except for the pig that entered the arena, lay down and gave every indication of settling in for a nap.
Pigs being pigs, swine competition always requires a few pig bouncers, people with experience who can separate fighting pigs if necessary. Pig bouncers are up to the problem of a snoozing pig too. “Between the shoulder blades,” one said, giving the pig a good hearty slap across the back. The pig preferred its nap, but after a couple slaps it reluctantly got up and obeyed its owner.
The rabbit barn was bustling also, kids carefully grooming their rabbits before judging. The old line about the fur flying really fit in the rabbit barn.
The fair is livestock competition, and art and crafts in the exhibit building, and of course fair food. The Boy Scouts sell the elephant ears, and the Othello Rotary offers fried chicken or fish and chips. Youth groups offer enchiladas, and the Lions sell pizza and cotton candy.
The line at the 4-H hamburger booth curled halfway around the building; a dad was waiting to get in line while his daughter couldn’t quite decide what she wanted. “Text me when you’ve decided,” Dad said. So Mom, sitting five feet away, sent him a text with the family order.
The fair continues through Saturday.