Evergreen Fair has a sizable horse community. And, cattle, too, both meat and dairy. Just peeking into this barn, from her costume, it looked like a girl dressed for English riding.
A barn had different types of horses, what I'd have to call "normal" sized. This young girl is a barrel racer. She calls it gaming. At our fair we have pony express and barrel racing among other speed riding feats.
A board full of ribbons for a pretty palomino. Her door is open so people can pet her horse and ask questions.
Then we saw a quarter horse. Ah. A familiar since my daughter Virginia took her quarter horse to the fair.
She took a first place in the "novice" category, her first year with her horse, Reno.
Both my girls had horse projects in 4-H. Kristanne, at age 10 wanted to join the horse project. We lived in a city and didn't own a horse. The leader said she couldn't take that unit without a horse. Her reply: "Does that boy own his own tractor?" They were speechless for a moment or two, and conceded that she should be allowed to join the horse project. She learned a lot and got to ride other kids horses.
The next barn we visited had sheep and goats. Black faced beauties sheared before the fair. Their wool is measured.
This sheep is a wool and meat animal.
Angora goats are allowed to keep their horns. The oils stay in the coat and are judged before being sheared.
Angora goats produce mohair. Only a few pens of sheep and goats at Evergreen. This is cattle and horse country.
The old fashioned spinning wheel is put to work, turning the mohair into yarn.
I finally found the dairy goats. Again, not many represented. Nubians are by far the most popular dairy goat. Their milk is very rich and plentiful. Virginia raised dairy goats in her 4-H project and two hogs as well. Dairy goats are a lot of work, but rewarding.
Another nubian in colors I hadn't seen before. Kids love their goats and sleep in the pens with them before they give birth or whenever they want to rest.
This is an alpine goat.
A la mancha goat has funny little ears. They are small goats, good keepers and absolute escape artists. At the fair, people would ask, "How come you cut off their ears?" Virginia had one and was glad to see her go. Her 4-h project had toggenbergs as well, but I didn't see any at this fair.
After the goats, we went to the cattle barns. In the arena they were judging heifers.
They are young and can be ornery and difficult to handle. This girl had to drag her animal into line.
We saw some beautiful dairy cows.
This girl was outside of the judging area and looking angrilly toward the arena. Her dairy cow may have been disqualified, or she was simply unhappy with the beast. But, to me, she was a beautiful specimen. I only mention it because the kids who raise animals for the fair have a serious regimen and rules to follow. It is great training, hard work and discipline.
Enough animals for a day. We stopped in the horticulture exhibit and saw plenty. But, here are 3 different tuberous begonias, one of my favorite flowers.
Drop dead beautiful color.
A begonia with prettier leaves than blossoms, which are bitty little flowers on a thin stem. We will visit rabbits and chickens, pigeons and ducks, tomorrow. Can you tell I love a fair? Something for everyone.
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