Otsego County Fair kicks off with 4-H animal shows

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August 1, 2012

Otsego County Fair kicks off with 4-H animal shows

By Cathy B. Koplen Contributing Writer The Daily Star Wed Aug 01, 2012, 03:30 AM EDT

The Otsego County Fair opened Tuesday under a blue sky, with activities centered on children and animals.

The various 4-H shows featured children and their knowledge of their farm animal. Competitors were judged on the cleanliness, handling and knowledge of the animal they were showing. The classes Tuesday included dogs, cows, rabbits and goats.

Maddie Zenir, 14, of Cherry Valley, presented a sable goat named Savannah and won Junior Champion Showman. This is her fourth year showing her family's goats.

"It really is a lot of fun," Maddie said. "You make a lot of friends, and we get to do things. Like here, at the fair. I mean we are here to show, but when we are not showing we can run around the fair together and have fun."

Maddie's family owns eight goats, three of which are milked. The family uses the milk to make cheese and soap, which they give as presents to family and friends.

"The goats are really cute and nice," Maddie said. "They are the reason I got into 4-H."

Another show-winning goat, Star, was presented by her owner, Hannah Augette, 11, of Edmeston. She was busy washing the goat's hooves with a toothbrush and toothpaste before the show. After cleaning the feet, she carefully wrapped each one in lime green vet wrap.

"I love to show goats," Hannah said. "It is fun to get them ready. You have to know a lot about your animal -- like their date of birth, how to groom them the right way, how to handle them, stuff like that. You have to know how the animal will respond so you can get them to do what you need them to."

Just around the corner from the goat barn, across from the chicken wing, is the hare salon, where rabbits of many sizes and colors are exhibited. Children, with parents in tow, waited for the chance to hold a rabbit.

"We have almost 100 rabbits in the 4-H show and close to 200 in the open show," rabbit show supervisor Jessica Powers said. "The little kids like to see the different colors and different breeds of rabbits. They really like the big French Lops and the baby ones best."

At noon, the bugle blew for the beginning of the harness races. As the trotters quickly paced around the track, showing their colors before the race, an announcer threw T-shirts and ball caps out to the crowd.

The audience began to pick their winners as the field lined up. Single horses, harnessed to the bare outline of a two-wheeled cart jostled six abreast; the drivers balancing on little more than a tractor seat with their feet stuck out in front of them, braced against metal stirrups.

Fans cheered as the racers rounded the corner, urging their favorites with enthusiastic encouragement.

"We've got a good crowd in the grandstand," Otsego County Fair President Lewis R. Miller said.

The midway at the fair opened Tuesday at noon with carnival rides and games. The smell of cotton candy, popcorn, fried elephant ears, sausages, peppers and onions wafted through the air as game attendants called out to passersby to come win at their booth.

Some exhibits at the fair include a one-room school house with historical texts and furnishings, and a docent who plays an 18th century school teacher; and a hand-hewn barn with 18th century farming tools.

A rustic Adirondack trapper's cabin featuring antique traps is shown. In this shady corner of the fair, several native animals are on display, including a turkey, a peacock and many pelts of animals trapped in this region.

There were several vendors and nonprofit organizations giving out information and selling items. A children's area offered free entertainment for the younger visitors. There were bugs, fish and frogs on display, as well as a petting farm and pony rides.

The Otsego County Fair continues through Sunday. More information and the daily schedule of events may be found at www.otsegocountyfair.org.