Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Each day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined theme chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the sixteenth day of the month is "Instruction."
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On Friday afternoon, we went to the county fair. I scored a couple of free tickets and we headed after lunch. The very first thing we saw was a show where dogs took a running leap off a dock to see which dog got the longest distance. Before this show started, we had a discussion about what types of dogs we would be seeing. Dr. BB thought it would be border collies because they're an all-around versatile breed. I thought it would be water dogs, especially retrievers.
It was retrievers.
There seem to be two ways of instructing the dogs in this particular sport. Some of the handlers threw the toy into the pool and then walked the dog back to the end of the dock/running platform and the dog just chased after it. It seems that the more effective method, however, is that the dog is led back to the back of the running platform and put in a stay. Now some dogs could stay on their own, but some there were some handling teams in which one person's sole job was to hold the dog in place. Regardless of how the dog stayed, the handler would then walk to the water's edge and then release the dog from its stay and, as the dog ran, throw the toy into the water in an arc so that the dog would try to get it.
Fascinating.
Hannah hates water, so this is not an option for her, but I enjoyed watching working dogs work and get so excited about it. This entire bunch was Labrador and golden retrievers, but I just checked the AKC's diving dogs page and the dogs that placed in their last diving dogs competition were a border collie, a mutt (sorry, mixed breed, All American), and a spaniel. Diving for everyone (except the half of dogs who hate water)!
Not to leave you in too much suspense, but we also went to the animal barns. The cows and horses are so big. I always forget how big they really are. The sheep barn was deserted, which was a bit concerning. All of the pigs were sleeping. The real action was in the goat barn because all the goats were figuring out how to escape their pens.
This goat had the softest ears of any goat I've ever pet.
Then I ate some nachos (meh) and a cream puff (incredibly disappointing). I'm ALWAYS excited for fair food and then am let down. Let this be a lesson the next time I get pumped for eating an elephant ear or soft pretzel.
On our way out of the fair, there were animal races going on and while I didn't get a good photo of the goats wearing tutus (OMG! So. Cute.), I did get some really cute piglets.
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Are you going to a county or state fair this year? What's your favorite animal barn to visit?
Dock dog contest! We enjoy watching them on youtube. Very dramatic editing, almost like the olympics. I always enjoy my yearly corndog. Through Vince's boy scout troop we would go every year to work parking! like hours and hours in the parking lot with a yellow vest and orange flag in the hot sun. Parents were required to work something like 30 hours over the course of the fair. We had world bank economists, high ranking military folks, NIH nurses certified to treat ebola, etc working parking. Some years, we would just stay in the parking lot and go inside (free because we were working the fair) just for the corndog.
ReplyDeleteI would dislike it intensely if I had to go to the fair for more than three hours. LOL. Best I not have had children, I guess. Would you believe that I have never had a corndog in my entire life?
DeleteGoats! Oh I adore goats. I have to pet them. I don't think we'll go to our state fair this year. It's never as much fun as I think it's going to be, too hot & dirty, plus it's a long drive. We're getting older and crankier all the time.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I feel you. I think that I've probably been to my last state fair. They're so big and overwhelming and it's always so hot! And the cost is prohibitive. I didn't have to pay for parking OR tickets to get into this one. Good enough for me!
DeleteI'm sorry the food was disappointing, but I'm glad you had fun anyway! I have very little full-on-fair experience, as Apple Festival, while something I greatly enjoy, does not have animals and competitions. I suppose the closest I've been to that in recent years is Rhinebeck, aka the NY Sheep and Wool festival, which does have animals and judging and things like that. And so much amazing yarn...sigh.
ReplyDeleteYes! I was wondering about whether or not the fair experience is pretty limited in terms of geography. I've always lived in the Midwest (MI, MN, WI, OH) and we've always had county and state fairs, but I wonder how it is in other parts of the country/world?
DeleteI haven't been to a county fair in a long time. We haven't been to the Wisconsin State Fair in years, but the mention of a cream puff is making me want to go.🤣
ReplyDeleteThe cream puff pastry was...bad? So that was a disappointment. Ha! Rock on if you want to go to the WI state fair, though - it's coming up soon!
DeleteI've seen that dog competition on TV, and I am THERE FOR IT. SO fun. The pigs are adorable! I have only been to our county fair once, and our state fair once, and both times I really wanted some great all-American crap food, like deep fried snickers or something, and both times it was completely meh and just like you would expect. Probably the best idea is to go for a nice brunch first.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the food is always disappointing, but I always build it up in my head. I wouldn't be satisfied with NOT eating at the fair, though. I'm full of cognitive dissonance.
DeleteThe dogs were so amazing. I sort of want to go to a dog competition now, where they do dock diving, frisbee, and obedience competitions! I think it would be so fun and I could learn new things to do with my own dog.
This sounds AWESOME. I really need to look up a county/state fair and take my kid. She would LOVE IT. Especially if there were any sort of dog-related event or any vehicle for petting animals. We haven't gone in years, mainly, I think, because I hate the heat and fairs seem to be So Hot.
ReplyDeleteThe county fair in my hometown was sort of The Event of Summer and I have very fond memories of attending each year. This was before I developed my fear/hatred of crowds and germs and rides. When I was in 4-H, we had to volunteer at a fair restaurant and I hated that. Hot and greasy and stressful. Our parents had to volunteer too. No idea how they felt about it, but having volunteered at cooking-type events for my kid's Girl Scout troop, I CAN GUESS.
The BEST fair food was something I've only ever found at my particular fair. It was a big oblong piece of fried, yeasted dough. NOT fry bread, although similar maybe? Kind of more like a longer, flatter donut? And you could get it topped with honey butter or cinnamon sugar or BOTH and it was the absolute best thing in the world.
I think you should start with a county fair with your daughter on a weekday. That's really the best - fewer people! It's still hot, but a state fair is HUGE and can take hours and hours, but we did the county fair in two hours and then we're able to get right back into the air-conditioned car!
DeleteAre you talking about an elephant ear or a funnel cake or something completely different? There are so many fried doughs and I always *think* I'll love them, but I usually end up not loving them. *sigh* I think I've turned a corner and am now a persnickety eater.
I go to the barn with my horse-riding friend and am always surprised anew by how big horses are, and how VERY big the biggest ones are. I haven't been to a county fair since my kids were younger.
ReplyDeleteI agree in general about fair food, but I've never had a disappointing soft pretzel.
YES! There were some GIANT black horses that must have been fifteen feet tall. They were VERY intimidating.
DeleteThe dog event sounds so fun to watch!
ReplyDeleteI am always let down by fair food too. LOL. I bought some junk food to have in the car Saturday and was let down by that too. I think I want *gasp* real food?!?! Ha.
No fairs for me this year!
The dogs were so much fun. I couldn't believe how graceful and athletic they were. My dog trips over her own feet when she runs fast - how are they even the same species?!
DeleteThis is the first fair I've been to in years and I imagine it will be years before I go again!
A similar competition like this was playing in the bar when I was in Charleston. Except the dogs had to catch a toy at the end of a rope. It was so cool to see the dogs jump like that!
ReplyDeleteI am always sooo let down by fair food. It's never good, but I always build it up in my head!
And differences in climate: our main festivals/fairs (aside from the fall ones) happen February-April, lol. Way too hot to have a festival in July in Florida!
Look, it was way too hot for the fair in July here, too! I probably changed clothes four times that day. It's just tradition that we hold fair in the hottest month of the year!
DeleteI've only been to the County Fair once a few years ago. It was ... an interesting experience, but I am not super keen on going back.
ReplyDeleteRight? It was great and fun, but I think I've had my fill for years.
DeleteThis sounds like an up and down day. The disappointing food, but racing piglets, goats, cows and horses, and diving DOGS? That would have more than made up for the food, in my book. :) I went to the Iowa State Fair once in nearly 12 years there. I went to the fair in my hometown maybe twice in high school? (Just a county fair...) PA has a Farm Show, in January, when the farms are quiet and the farmers can attend. My niblings looooved it as kids - but my parents never took us when we were little! :)
ReplyDeleteOverall, it was great! I mean, the food is what it is, but I loved seeing all the animals. I think I've had my fill of the fair for a few years, though.
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