The Fair Is Back!
And folks couldn’t be happier
The Porterville Fair is back, and folks couldn’t be happier.
The fair barns were ready for business. The ferris wheel was operating and so was another scary ride high up in the sky with gondolas at each end, and you could hear people screaming. “Ugh!”
Students from Future Farmers of America and 4-H Club members were having their hogs judged in a flurry of activity in the fair’s main barn. Giant hogs were being ushered around, and one had to watch your step with kids, hogs, and event organizers, as well as parents and fair staff running around.
It was exciting to see, and walking into the barn, a majestic hog was being judged with his handler, Adriana Robles, from Vandalia 4-H, who won first place in Jr. showmanship. Her hog, Wall-e sure was a beauty, and she knew it.
Gloria Soto sat watching the hog judging, along with her goat, West. She said, “I’m going to miss him.”
Watching all the hog judging, Scott Trueblood, from Ducor, said he and his family, including his mother and her brother, had all been involved in 4H for generations. “It’s a great event for the young people to show their livestock and be involved in the fair and community. I am in awe of the people who volunteer their time to organize and support the Porterville Fait annually.”
Another young man, Ashton Blackman, 12, from Prairie Center, won Breed Champion in the Jr. Livestock. He said, “It’s my first time being a champion.” He’s been in 4-H for seven years.
Many of the students are having their first year of showing at the Porterville Fair. Hannah Shepard, who’s in Springville 4-H has been taking care of her steer, and she said it’s a lot of work. She also took first place in cake decorating.
Her grandmother, Monica Rodriguez, said the fair is a great experience for kids. The fair opens up possibilities, she said.
But the responsibilities keep them grounded and family oriented, she added. Rodriguez traveled from the coast and she said the rest of the family would be following.
Outside the barn, an ice cream and drinks vendor, Kirk Richards, said, “I love the fair.” His stand had special fair treats and specialties like Dippin Dots Ice Cream, sodas, coffee drinks, milkshakes, Root Beer Floats, and more. He was helping people with their selections, and said the Dippin Dots Ice Cream are actually ice cream bits frozen at -40 degrees with nitrogen, but it’s actual ice cream.
As well as the ice cream treat, and all the rides, there were special fair food favorites available like barbecue, gourmet hot dogs, corn dogs, funnel cakes, spiral potatoes, ice cream, pineapple dole whip, kettle corn and special lemonade.
Presley Dennis, a teenager said she’d had the dipping dots ice cream multiple times.
Her friend, Taeghyn Walsh, said she liked the Porterville Fair a lot, “It’s nice because it’s local. All my friends are here, and everyone knows everyone.”
A little girl, Sawyer Haslan, 6, said she liked the giant slides at the fair, “I loved it.” Her mom said she was so glad they brought the fair back.
Two Lindsay FFA students, Victoria Frias and Andrea Jimenez, both won second place with their market hogs, and Frias also won second place in Jr. showmanship. The fair is a good experience they both said, and Frias said she would definitely do it again.
Lauren Flores, from Monache FFA, and a friend were sitting outside near the food vendors.
Flores was proud and enthusiastic to speak about her fair experiences and the projects she had entered, and said,
“The fair is not just about the rides, it’s about all the hard work that members from the different chapters put in for any project for the community to enjoy.
“I had five fair entries. My hog ‘Waddles,’ my drawings and paintings. They are the Cat with the Green Eyes, Audrey Hepburn, the Blue and Gold Macaw parrot, and a design palette. I won first and second places for my drawing, and Best Reserve for the parrot.”
Livestock judge Chris Hall, from Oklahoma, is also a coach at Eastern Oklahoma State College, and judged the hogs at the Porterville Fair on Wednesday.
“It was a great show,” he said, “and great feedback. I judged here 5 or 6 years ago. The quality of pigs was better this year. There was great support from the staff, and the ring help was great.”