WAPAKONETA, Ohio (WLIO) — With the opening of the Auglaize County Fair on Sunday, a busy week of competition is underway for Junior Fair exhibitors as 4-H members showcase the projects they have spent months preparing.
From livestock competitions in the show ring to still projects displayed in the Junior Fair Building, exhibitors are eager to show off the results of their hard work.
“I'm just very excited. This is my favorite time of year and I'm just excited to be here,” says Olivia Tester, shown hogs for 9 years.
Tester has spent months preparing her hogs for the fair and hopes that dedication will pay off during competition.
“Well, it takes a lot of work. Taking care of your pigs, you have to wash them all the time, make sure they look really well to get to fair and to train them so much and it takes so many months to do so, but it really pays off in the end,” adds Tester.
Jude Schmiesing is also looking forward to competition, bringing five chickens to this year's fair.
“The judge looking for a clean bird and for meat chickens a big breast. It's one of my favorite things to do in the year,” says Jude Schmiesing, fifth year showing chickens.
Members of the Auglaize County Junior Fair Board are helping oversee the competitions throughout the week while encouraging younger exhibitors to take pride in their accomplishments.
“There's just so many different ways that kids can do it. We're in the Junior Fair building right now. We have all these booths, all the still projects, cake decorating, scrapbooking. It's just a great way to get out there creatively, But then with livestock, it shows all the hard work that kids put in. Steers, it's year-round. I show hogs, it's from February to August and these kids get to walk in front of their parents, walk in front of their grandparents, and we just get to help them and that's the best part about being on Junior Fair Board. It's really kind of making a difference in the fair,” says Addison Albers, president of the Auglaize County Junior Fair Board.
The week of judging will conclude with the Junior Fair livestock sales on Friday and Saturday, giving exhibitors an opportunity to sell the animals they have raised and cared for throughout the year.
