Good competition, food at Adams County Fair

OTHELLO — Recipe for a good county fair:

Sunshine and temperatures that aren’t too hot and aren’t too cold – say 75 degrees by noon, which was the case Thursday at the Adams County Fair.

Good fair food. There was a line for the spoon tacos at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church booth Thursday. The tables in front of the Othello Rotary booth were filled with people eating the fried chicken dinner.

Competition. The spotted pig in senior 4-H fitting and showing entered the ring in a grumpy mood, ready to fight. Before the judge made his decision it got tired and wanted to go back to its pen. The pig wanted to quit but its owner didn’t, the judge said, and its owner earned a spot in the championship round.

The fair is always a mix of competitions, especially in the livestock classes, the quilts and muffins and produce in the exhibit building, the demolition derby, the rodeo. “This is my first fair,” said Ana Rueda, in charge of the Young Life ministry booth. Ana said her experience in restaurants came in handy.

“Does it look crazy?” asked Diana Brault, while the crew at the Chow Shed (as the Sacred Heart booth is known) dealt with the lunch rush. The spoon tacos are a Sacred Heart and Adams County Fair tradition. (The church’s recipe includes the onions and cheese, tomatoes and everything that would normally go on a taco on a bed of corn chips.)

The church’s pies are famous, too, baked by members of the parish. “A bunch of ladies, we meet at the church,” Brault said, about a week before the fair. And the pie-baking commences, for the fruit pies at least. “We all have our little expertise in what we do well. And we make some great pies.” The pies are so popular the three-berry was gone by noon on the fair’s second day.

That’s the fruit pies. The cream pies are made daily during the fair, Brault said.

Traditionally Wednesday and Thursday are devoted to livestock competition, cattle in the ring between the barns, lambs and sheep in the covered arena. Taylor Hutchinson of Moses Lake earned a reserve championship in sheep fitting and showing. It’s all in the technique, she said, “keeping the legs square and set up all the time.” It’s important to keep good eye contact with the judge, she said. It’s a skill competitors can learn. “In my first year I was last in my class,” she said, but in her second year she won the grand champion ribbon.

Cattle fitting and showing competitors can use a halter, but lamb and pig competitors aren’t so lucky. Titan Smith, Moses Lake, “did all right” in swine competition, winning a blue ribbon. So did his friend Hunter Booth, Royal City.

“You have to have a good attitude,” Titan said. “You have to stay calm,” even if the pig makes a scene.

“Keep eye contact with the judge and keep your pig in front of the judge,” Hunter said.

“Make a pig sandwich,” Titan said.

There’s a sweet spot in the ring, not too close to the judge, not too close to the fence. Far enough away so that the judge gets a good view, but not so far the pig gets lost in the crowd.

“You always want to keep the pig between you and the judge,” Hunter said.

“That’s what a pig sandwich means,” Titan said.

The fair continues through Saturday, with rodeo performances tonight and Saturday.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.