The Montezuma County Fair ramps up this week with livestock shows, chili contests, children’s events and more.
The festivities at the fairgrounds kicked off Friday night with a concert by country rock band Reckless Kelly, and on Saturday evening, youths from local 4-H groups took over the arenas to ready their pens.
“For a lot of the parents, I think 4-H and the FFA programs are just to try to help develop their leadership skills and to become a better, successful person,” said Kelly Comisky, a member of the fair’s board of directors.
She pointed to the responsibility skills learned by raising an animal.
“A lot of them raise them from birth,” Comisky said. “Some of them breed their own. And then some do buy, but they’re still taking a lot of time and effort into raising those animals, which – end goal – is nothing but teaching them responsibility and skills for the future.”
The biggest difference this year was the Reckless Kelly concert, Comisky said. The concert saw a high turnout Friday. Other than that, fairgoers will see many old favorites, including goat roping, chicken chasing, the second annual ATV Rodeo and the popular Demolition Derby.
The Ranch Rodeo will be Friday, although fair officials are unsure of turnout, Comisky said – an outbreak of vesicular stomatitis is expected to keep some animals at home because of quarantine requirements by the state. Last Saturday’s team roping competition was canceled after a couple cases of the virus were discovered in La Plata County.
The 4-H’ers are divided into tents based on species – sheep, goats, rabbits and poultry, swine and beef. Saturday evening’s pen setup was mandatory for participants, as preparation for Tuesday, when they will be allowed to bring their animals to the fair.
Autumn Harmon is a member of both the Barnyard Critters, her main 4-H group, and the Clover Buds, a group that targets youngsters ages 5-7, said her mother, Jenna Harmon.
Last year, as a 5-year-old, she took part in the fair for the first time, and on Saturday she was preparing her rabbit pen. “The main thing that she focuses on is breeding rabbits,” Jenna Harmon said. “Not market, but breeding.”
At this year’s fair, Autumn will show her rabbit at the open show and enter a green bean plant she grew as part of the Clover Buds. Along with that, she will take part in a variety of activities with the Barnyard Critters.
The Family Gymkhana events held Sunday morning attracted about 30 children ages 3-18. Relatives and friends cheered in the stands, and country music played. Events included mutton busting, horse riding skills, goat tying and barrel racing.
“It is a fun event for families and kids, with a lot of belt buckle prizes at the end,” said organizer Erin Gordanier.
The mutton busting tradition of setting a child on a nervous sheep then letting it bolt out of a pen into the arena generated good entertainment.
“Some use the death grip on the wool, others do the arm and leg wrap around the sheep,” Gordanier said. “For kids, it’s an adventure.”
“It was fun getting flipped and rolled,” said participant Hayden Forest.
Different age classes participated in the timed keyhole event, in which a contestant rides a horse into a chalkline in the shape of a keyhole, turns the horse and rides out without touching the lines.
For the goat-tying, participants run their horses hard to the center of the arena, dismount and tie up a goat’s legs.
Gymkhana events are casual and open to anyone. Gymkhana is not part of 4-H or FFA.
“The kids practice and learn control of their horses and roping technique,” Gordanier said.
ealvera@the-jounral.com
Schedule
The schedule for the 2019 Montezuma County Fair:
Tuesday, July 30
7 to 9 a.m.
Swine check/weigh-in – Swine Barn
8 to 10 a.m.
Rabbit/Poultry check-in – Rabbit/Poultry Barn
9 to 10 a.m.
Goat check/weigh-in – Sheep/Goat Barn
10 to 11 a.m.
Sheep check/weigh-in – Sheep/Goat Barn
10 a.m.
4-H Cake Decorating Contest – Main Barn
11 a.m.
to noon Beef check/weigh-in – Beef Barn
1 p.m.
4-H Demonstration contest – Main Barn
1 p.m.
Herdsmanship interview and poster contest
3 p.m.
4-H Archery Shoot – MCFG Range
3 to 7 p.m.
Vendor setup
5 to 7 p.m.
Exhibits open to public
5 to 7 p.m.
Community Open Class Awards Reception – Main Barn
6 p.m.
ATV Rodeo and Lawn Mower Race – Outdoor arena
Wednesday, July 31
7 a.m.
4-H Rocket Launch – Parking Lot west of grandstands. Cloverbuds launch afterward
8:30 a.m.
4-H/FFA Goat Show – Main Barn
8:30 a.m.
Open Class Goat Show – Main Barn
9 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m. Exhibits open to public
10:30 a.m.
Scavenger Hunt (Bunnies & More 4-H)
11:30 a.m.
3-Legged Barrel Race (Hoofbeats 4-H)
1 p.m.
Tug of War (Battle Rock 4-H)
2:30 p.m.
Dress your pet contest – Main Barn (Dolores FFA)
3 to 4 p.m.
Sheep Scramble/Water Fight preregistration required, parent signature required – Main Barn
3 to 7 p.m.
Horticulture entries taken – Main Barn
5 p.m.
4-H/FFA Sheep Show – Main Barn. Open Sheep Show to follow
Thursday, Aug. 1
8 a.m.
4-H/FFA & Open Rabbit Show – Main Barn
9 a.m.
Horticulture judging – Main Barn
9 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m. Exhibits open to public
10 a.m.
4-H & Open Poultry Show – Rabbit/Poultry Barn
11 a.m.
Peewee Round Robin – Cortez FFA
12 p.m.
Firefighter Water Fight – Round Pen. 13-year-olds and older 1 p.m. Cool Whip Bubble (Round-up 4-H).
2 p.m.
Chicken Chase, Ages 3-5
2:30 p.m.
Chicken Chase, Ages 6-7
4:30 p.m.
Bucket Calf Show – Main Barn
4:45 p.m.
Montezuma County Fair 2020 Royalty Crowning
5 p.m.
4-H/FFA Beef Show – Main Barn, Open Beef show to follow
6 p.m.
Goat Roping – Outdoor Arena
Friday Aug. 2 Red Friday-Kids Day
8:30 a.m.
4-H/FFA Swine Show – Swine Barn. Open Swine Show to follow
9 a.m.
Rooster Crowing –Poultry Barn
9 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m. Exhibits open to public
10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Kids Fun Day (activities all day)
11 a.m.
Egg Toss (Kalvin’s Kids 4-H) – Outside Beef Barn
11:30 a.m.
Dummy Roping 12 and younger – Main Barn
1 p.m.
Sheep Scramble for $50- Outdoor Arena, must preregister
1 p.m.
Rabbit Expo – Rabbit/Poultry Barn
2 p.m.
IFA Chicken Chase, ages 3-5, – Swine Barn
2 p.m.
Dummy Roping, ages 13-18 – Main Barn
2:30 p.m.
IFA Chicken Chase, ages 6-8 – Swine Barn
3 p.m.
Open Dummy Roping – Main Barn
3 p.m.
Grand Round Robin – Outdoor Arena
3 p.m.
Four Corners Community Bank Money Hunt, ages 3-4 – Main Barn
3:30 p.m.
Four Corners Community Bank Money Hunt, ages 5-6 – Main Barn
4 p.m.
Four Corners Community Bank Money Hunt, age 7 – Main Barn
4:30 p.m.
Four Corners Community Bank Money Hunt, age 8 – Main Barn
7 p.m.
Ranch Rodeo – Outdoor Arena. Entries due by 6 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 3
8 a.m.
Mandatory sale meeting – Main Barn
9 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m. Exhibits open to public
9:30 a.m.
Chicken Chase, ages 3-5
10 a.m.
Chicken Chase, ages 6-7
10 a.m.
Four Corners Community Bank Money Hunt, ages 3-4 – Main Barn
10:30 a.m.
Four Corners Community Bank Money Hunt, ages 5-6 – Main Barn
11 p.m.
Four Corners Community Bank Money Hunt, age 7 – Main Barn
11 to 11:30 a.m.
Chili & Salsa Contest, entries accepted – Main Barn
11:30 p.m.
Four Corners Community Bank Money Hunt, age 8 – Main Barn
11:30 a.m.
First National Bank Greased Pig Chase – Swine Barn
12 to 12:30 p.m.
Public Taste and Vote for Chili and Salsa contests – Main Barn
12 p.m.
Musical Pie (Barnyard Critters 4-H) – Main Barn
1 to 1:45 p.m.
Buyer meet-and-greet – Livestock Barns
2 p.m.
Junior Livestock Sale – Main Barn. Chuckwagon dinner to follow sale – Cowbelles
5 p.m.
Release vendors
5 p.m.
Demolition Derby gates open – Racetrack
6 p.m.
Demolition Derby Starts – Racetrack
Sunday, Aug. 4
8 to 10 a.m.
Open entry release
10 a.m.
Livestock and exhibit release, pen teardown and cleanup.
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