July 04, 2008 06:29 pm
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By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — New buildings are being readied and more exhibitors are expected for the Jasper County Youth Fair, which starts today in Carthage Municipal Park.
About 300 young people involved in 4-H and FFA and nearly 200 teachers, sponsors and club leaders will be on hand for the week-long event, said Bob McNary, 4-H Youth Specialist with the University of Missouri Extension Center.
“It’s our premiere event for the year, and it looks like we’re going to have more exhibits and exhibitors than last year,” he said.
There’s also a new place to accommodate and show livestock with the completion of a new beef barn and show arena.
The new building replaces one constructed about 50 years ago, said Tom Howard, president of the youth fair board.
It’s the second new building in as many years, after a sheep barn damaged by an ice storm was replaced last year. The project is also part of a plan that calls for construction of a new community center for the fair and other local events.
Fund-raising for that building started last year.
Howard said insurance money helped finance the sheep barn, and he said fair supporters “were very fortunate in the grants and other help we got” to finance construction of the beef barn and show arena.
“It’s part of a 10-year plan, so we got the first two done way ahead of schedule,” he said. “We’re hoping the response will be good this year, because we think it will be a very good multi-use building for us and the city.”
Plans for the new building will be on display at the fair, along with bricks that can be purchased and engraved to help with financing.
That booth will be among many at the fair, said Howard.
“We’ll have 30 different booths with all sorts of displays. Of course, this is an election year and that adds to it,” he said.
In addition to the booths, animals and exhibits, visitors on different days can see a queen pageant, a celebrity milking contest, a youth pedal tractor pull, a pet show and a beautiful baby contest. Cardinal Amusements will provide rides.
Many youths and parents stay at the fairgrounds overnight or into the wee hours of the morning if they have animals in competition.
“They’ve worked all year to be able to show them off but they have to work when they’re here too,” Howard said. “But they also spend time meeting other kids and learning from each other.”
Schedule
The schedule of major events follows (the full schedule is available on the Internet at www.extension.missouri.edu/jasper):
Saturday, July 5
2 p.m., cat show
5 p.m., dog show
Monday, July 7
9 a.m., work day for 4-H, FFA members and volunteers
5 p.m., fair speech contest
6 p.m., horse and mule show
Tuesday, July 8
6 p.m., pageant for fair queen, other royalty
7 p.m., rabbit show, guinea pig show
Wednesday, July 9
9 a.m., poultry show
12:30 p.m., dairy goat show
12:30 p.m., Boer goat show
3 p.m., exhibition building opens to public
Thursday, July 10
8:30 a.m., steer show
Noon, sheep show
6 p.m., swine show
7 p.m., watermelon feed
Friday, July 11
8 p.m., dairy show
Noon, celebrity milking contest
7 p.m., market sale, followed by exhibitors’ dance
Saturday, July 12
8 a.m., sheep lead line
10 a.m., livestock judging contest
Noon, round-robin showmanship competition
Noon, pedal tractor pull
3:30 p.m., beautiful baby contest
4:30 p.m., Kountry Kritters pet show
7 p.m., awards ceremony.
Newton County fair
The Newton County Fair begins Wednesday and goes through Saturday. The event will take place at the fairgrounds near Crowder College’s Neosho campus. Attractions include a carnival, livestock exhibits, craft booths, food, entertainment and more. More information on this event will be provided next week in the Globe.
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