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So ‘Fair,’ so good

By Steve Barrett And Jon Stevens 7 min read
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Carly Whyte, 10, of Waynesburg shows her lamb during a competition on Monday at the Greene County Fair. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)

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Sadie Wright, 20, of Mt. Morris, is pictured showing a lamb that would later be judged during a competition at the fair. Wright was crowned Lamb and Wool Queen during a ceremony on Monday. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)

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Sadie Wright (pictured on left), 2015 Lamb and Wool Queen, poses with Brittany Bonnema, who was crowned this year's Fair Queen. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)

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Wyatt Miller, 9, of Norfolk, Va. Tries his luck at a shooting gallery game with his cousin, Levi Krampy, 9, of Carmichaels, at the fair on Monday. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)

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Left: Peyton Woods, 14, of Uniontown is all smiles after winning a prize while playing the Kartoon Bowling Game at the fair. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)

Below left: Carly Whyte, 10, of Waynesburg shows her lamb during a competition on Monday at the Greene County Fair. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)

Below right: The “T-Rex” enjoys “eating” a car during the Monster Truck Jam held at the fair Monday evening. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)

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The “T-Rex” enjoys “eating” a car during the Monster Truck Jam held at the fair Monday evening. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)

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The 4-H and FFA Market Steer Show was in full swing Tuesday night, as 46 steers where shown to determine a grand champion. (Photo by Jon Stevens)

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Julie Policz, 14, of Jefferson poses with her steer “Outlaw,” which was selected as overall grand champion during the 4-H and FFA Market Steer Show Tuesday night. (Photo by Jon Stevens)

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Julie Policz is all smiles after her steer “Outlaw” was crowned overall grand champion during the 4-H and FFA Market Steer Show Tuesday night. (Photo by Jon Stevens)

WAYNESBURG – The 2015 Greene County Fair kicked off earlier this week, welcoming a healthy number of fairgoers who flocked to the fairgrounds throughout the week to enjoy a wide array of agricultural events, musical performances, truck pulls and thrill rides.

Although this year’s fair, which features the theme of “Harvest the Fun,” officially began on Sunday, the crowds packed the fairgrounds on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and they show no signs of slowing down as the fair week continues.

Fairgoers have been coming out in droves during the first several days of this year’s fair, enjoying many of the events and activities that offer everything from amusement rides and pageants to agricultural shows and tractor pulls.

This year’s fair has been blessed by two factors, Debbie Stephenson, secretary-treasurer of the Greene County fair board, said.

“First, we had great weather and because of that we had great crowds,” she said. “And another highlight was the Monster Truck Jam, which was held on Monday. I heard comments such as ‘Fantastic show,’ and ‘We loved it.'”

She emphasized that the Greene County Fair is indeed family-friendly.

“For $8 you can bring the whole family and see something like the Monster Truck Jam, or spend $30 at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh,” she said. “The choice seems pretty clear to me.”

She also said “people were everywhere on Sunday, which was considered a free day at the fair.

“I was told there were 70 people at the vesper service,” she said. “Rev. (Donald) Wilson said usually10 people show up for the service.”

Stephenson said the large crowds have been “remarkably well-behaved. It has been awesome.”

While this year’s fair theme is “Harvest the Fun,” Stephenson perhaps hit on a theme for next year. In assessing how things have gone so fair, she commented, “You can’t come to a better place for entertainment.”

Two other highlights of the fair occurred on Monday, when the 2015 Fair Queen and Lamb and Wool Queen were crowned at the 4-H Building at the county fairgrounds.

Brittany Bonnema, the daughter of Jason Bonnema and Jamie Keller, was crowned Fair Queen; and Sadie Wright, the daughter of Jeff and Pam Wright of Mt. Morris, was crowned Lamb and Wool Queen.

Bonnema was overcome with emotion when her name as announced as the 2015 Greene County Fair Queen.

“I just started bawling my eyes out because I didn’t think I would get it,” the 16-year-old daughter of Jason Bonnema and Jamie Keller said.

The soon-to-be junior at West Greene Middle-Senior High School said it has been a very busy week for her.

“I have been running between events handing out ribbons. My feet are ready to fall off,” she said.

Bonnema said she plans to attend college and become a pediatric oncologist. While administering chemotherapy to children may not be a life goal for everyone, she said it’s important to her to have that feeling when she is able to help someone.

The fun fair continued on Tuesday with many different festivities, including a 4-H and open dairy cattle show, harness racing and truck pulls; and Wednesday also offered no shortage of activities, including a 4-H and open beef cattle show, more harness racing, farm stock tractor pulls and a musical performance by Chris Higbee.

Fairgoers on Thursday enjoyed a 4-H and open sheep show, a Carhartt presentation, horse and pony pulls and a performance by the Gospel Harmony Boys.

Meanwhile, local 4-Hers were busy throughout the week preparing for their animals for a variety of different shows, including the 4-H and FFA Market Steer Show Tuesday night.

A large crowd gathered in the livestock barn for the steer show, in which 46 steers were entered in three weight divisions, lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight divisions. Each division was divided into three different classes.

In each division, a champion and reserve champion were selected. All of those winners were then eligible to compete for the top prize crown of overall champion and overall reserve grand champion.

4-Hers between the ages of 8 and 18 displayed their market steers, ranging from over 1,000 pounds to more than 1,400 pounds.

Julie Policz, 14, of Jefferson showed the overall grand champion. She also showed the champion steer in the middleweight division.

Policz, who also showed the grand champion steer last year, named “Night Train,” attributes hard work to her success in the show ring.

“I have been showing for seven years and I am really proud of my steer,” she said.

Every day for about the past year she had to feed and water her steer, which she named “Outlaw,” and exercise and groom him.

“It took a lot of work,” she said.

Policz, daughter of Wyatt and Zora Policz of Jefferson, will be a sophomore this year at Jefferson-Morgan High School, and she wasn’t resting on her laurels after Tuesday’s market steer show.

On Wednesday, she was in the show ring again, this time with as a participant in the 4-H Market lamb show.

Emmitt Whipkey, 8, of Holbrook showed the overall reserve grand champion market steer. He also showed the champion steer in the heavyweight division.

In the heavyweight division, Allexis Berdine, 8, of New Freeport showed the reserve champion; in the middleweight division, Holden Headlee, 14, of Waynesburg showed the reserve champion; and in the lightweight division, Hannah Cole, 11, of Waynesburg showed the champion and Sabrina Husner (FFA member), 16, of Mt. Morris showed the reserve champion.

In the steer showmanship competition held Tuesday, Nathan Bilonick, 15, of Graysville placed first in the senior category; Holden Headlee won first place in the intermediate category; and Allexis Berdine placed first in the junior category.

Placing first in the owned, bred and born category was Allexis Berdine; and winning the Rate of Gain category was Nathan Bilonick.

The crowds returned on Wednesday for the 4-H and FFA Market Lamb Show, in which 67 lambs were entered in lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight divisions. Similar to the steer show, a champion lamb and reserve champion lamb was selected in each division. All of those winners were then eligible to compete for the top prize crown of overall champion and overall reserve grand champion.

Emma Mooney, 9, of Waynesburg showed the overall grand champion and D.J. Jones, 12, of Wind Ridge showed the overall reserve grand champion. Mooney also showed the champion in the heavyweight division, and Jones also showed the champion in the middleweight division.

Hayden Demniak, 14, of Carmichaels showed the reserve champion in the heavyweight division, and Luke Maley, 12, of Waynesburg showed the reserve champion in the middleweight division.

In the lightweight division, Moriah Davis, 11, of Carmichaels showed the champion and Alexus Grecoe, 15, of Washington showed the reserve champion.

In the lamb showmanship competition held Wednesday, Alexus Grecoe placed first in the senior category; Hayden Demniak won first place in the intermediate category; and Mackenzie Wise, 10, of New Freeport placed first in the junior category. Tristan Cole, 13, of Waynesburg placed first in the owned, bred and born category.

The steer and lambs that were shown on Tuesday and Wednesday were sold for auction during the 4-H Market Steer and Lamb Sale on Thursday. Information regarding the sale was not available by press time but will be published in next week’s issue.

The Greene County Fair may be almost over, but there is still plenty of fun and excitement left that will be offered to fairgoers over the event’s final two days.

On Friday, the fair will feature a FFA/4-H tractor driving competition at 9 a.m. and the return of Croushore’s Demolition Derby at 7 p.m. The fair’s final day, Saturday, will feature a wood carvings auction at 5 p.m. and more truck and tractor pulls beginning at 7 p.m.

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