4-Hers prep for the fair after pandemic struggles
The annual slate of fairs and parades took a hit in the summer of 2020, and the Fayette County Fair was no exception.
Like most other events that expect large crowds, the fair was canceled due to COVID-19. This was disappointing not just to those who look forward to attending but also to the many young people in local 4-H programs who prepare all year to show animals at the fair.
“It was kind of hard to accept at first, just because it has been something, not just me, everyone who shows animals works so hard for and we didn’t know if we would get a show,” said Riley Rankin, 16, of Redstone Township.
Rankin currently attends Brownsville Area High School, and last year was her first year back showing animals in many years.
“I showed dairy (cattle) when I was little,” Rankin said. “I showed when I was little then I started working. I got back into showing last year.”
Last year was not a total loss, as Penn State Extension, which operates local 4-H clubs, put on a three-day event specifically for the kids to show their animals.
“There were a lot of kids in our 4-H program. Kids came together and we showed at the fairgrounds. All species were shown and sold,” Rankin said.
Of course, this event happened without the usual busy atmosphere of a county fair and was a different experience than most were used to.
“For me, I was kind of stressed out. I was nervous,” Rankin said. “It all really worked out. It was really different. Usually there are a lot of people there, a lot of commotion. It was a lot calmer.”
Instead of dairy cattle, Rankin is now showing beef cattle and will be showing a pig this year as well.
“The steers require a lot more work. You have to wash them multiple times a day and work them a lot more,” Rankin said.
The work to raise these animals begins long before the fair.
“I got my steers both last year and this year in September. We don’t show until August,” Rankin said.
With everyday life returning, Rankin and other 4-H kids will once again be able to show off the animals they have spent so much time with in a proper fair setting, with the crowds and the noise.
Still, the pandemic and the uncertainty it presents have loomed over preparations for this year’s fair.
“I think the pandemic was discouraging to many people. People kind of gave up a little bit,” Rankin said. “They didn’t know if we were going to have the show.”