Swine, dogs and alumni livestock exhibitors were all part of the fun during day 3 of the Des Moines County Fair Thursday.
This is the second year for an event that pairs alumni FFA and 4H participants with an animal to show said Cass Pfeiff, fair manager.
The event, which took place Thursday evening, is a fundraiser for the Des Moines County 4H Teen Council. Alumni FFA and 4H club members from years past were nominated to participate. Pfeiff said at the beginning of the show each nominee drew out of a hat what animal to exhibit. “They may or may not have exhibited that animal in the past. It’s popular. Last year it was a two-hour show,” Pfeiff said.
Another feature that has returned to the fair this year is herdsmanship. Pfeiff said kids who exhibit animals are being asked to keep their pen areas clean. Each day the livestock pens are toured and inspected. Exhibitors with cleaned up pens are awarded points and at the end of the fair, the exhibitor with the most points will receive a cash prize.
This is the first year for Brody Fisher, 14, from Danville, to show a hog during the swine show, which took place Thursday morning. His production market barrow Pumba was awarded Reserve Champion for the medium weight class.
Fisher said he started working with Pumba in February, walking the animal and making sure the swine was receiving the proper nutrition. “About two weeks before the fair, we start giving him a certain feed. He has to weigh a minimum of 220 pounds,” Fisher said.
Fisher will be a freshman this fall at Danville High School. When he wasn’t showing his pig, he was helping his dad, Jason Fisher, at Full Smoke BBQ, one of the food trucks at the Des Moines County Fair this year.
This is the second year for a dog show at the Des Moines County Fair, and drew about 15 exhibitors. Work to get the dogs show ready began weeks ago when exhibitors met weekly to train their dogs, working on obedience, and showmanship skills.
Hadley Housman, 11, from Mediapolis, exhibited her mini goldendoodle, Huck. “We took him to training, but we didn’t continue to practice with it. So, I thought I this would be a good way to do that,” Housman said.
Her biggest fear when Huck was in the arena under the eye of the judge? Hugs. Huck is a hugger and very friendly. Hadley hoped he wouldn’t cozy up the judge.
The show was judged by a Fort Madison native, Ethan Faeth.
The Des Moines County Fair continues through the weekend, and concludes Monday morning with a pancake breakfast and livestock auction.
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