What's happening at the Fair?by Becky Ledtke

The Fair Board would like to congratulate Fair Manager Lore Twiet for the fine job she has done these last four months! As Fair manager, you work with the Fair Board, volunteers, hired help, vendors and Wahkiakum County employees to get things accomplished. The fair manager job is not an easy one, many times in the middle of a planned event, everything changes, and the manager has to keep her thoughts in order so she can immediately move in a new direction. Lore was very good at changing directions, and if she needed to consult with me (fair board president) about an idea or problem, we were always able to figure out the best answer together. Thank you Lore for managing our 102nd Wahkiakum County Fair!

Each year as people are looking at exhibits in the T-building they are asked to vote for a favorite flower, photo, and quilt. The T-building hostesses write down the selections, we add them up and award a People Choice Certificate to the exhibit with the most votes. Betty Koziel’s exhibit of a pink and white Begonia won the People’s Choice Flower Award. Brittany Pellervuo’s exhibit of a huge rooster photo won the People’s Choice Photo Award . In the quilt division, first time ever we had a tie between two quilts. Sandy Hart and Vicky Davall both received a People’s Choice Certificate Award for the beautiful quilts that they exhibited at our Fair.

The Silver Buckle Series Open Game Show was a three event series, each show had ribbons and prizes for the competitors. Last week's column listed the Overall Highpoint Buckle winner and the Highpoint Headstall winners for the completed series. These are the winning competitors for the third show. The top placings for Showmanship are: Junior- Makayla Matthews 1st, Kelsey Kellogg 2nd, Shaya Breezee 3rd, Intermediate-Kaylee Dearmore 1st, Makenzie Matthews 2nd, Sarah Mansur 3rd, Jordan Smith 4th, Kylee Slater 5th, Senior- Elyse Loring 1st, Brittany Leppert 2nd, Super Senior-Rocky Rose 1st. Kaylee Dearmore is the Showmanship Champion and Makenzie Matthews is the Showmanship Reserve for the third show.

The Silver Buckle Series Open Game Show third event top two placings are: Junior- Shaya Breezee 1st, Kelsey Kellogg 2nd, Junior Walk/Trot- Marcie Dunham 1st, Claire Fisher 2nd, Intermediate- Crissy Loran 1st, Kylee Slater and Cheyenne Doble tie for 2nd, Senior- Elyse Loring 1st, Brittany Leppert 2nd, Senior Walk/Trot- Elyse Loring 1st, Starsha Rose 2nd, Super Senior- Josette Hollingworth 1st, Michelle Moen 2nd, Super Senior Walk/Trot- Amy Ammer 1st, Bronlea Mishler 2nd. Hope every enjoyed the series and we plan to hold another series in spring of 2011.

Here is a few words from our 2010 Fair Manager, Lore Twiet:

"I want to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who made the 2010 county Fair a great success this year.

The Department Superintendents for cleaning and decorating their buildings, taking in exhibits and displaying them for the public. The community members who volunteered to work one or more shifts at the gate ticket booths. The 4-H leaders for taking their time to work with the youth all year so they can showcase their projects at the Fair. The Fair Board members who meet monthly to make decisions that improve the Fair and grounds use. All the volunteers who came and worked on flower beds and weeding before the Fair.

A very special thank you to Jim and Darla for coordinating the Karaoke Contest, Emma Hammond for putting together the kids day games and Martha Backman for supplying prizes, Ken Gomes and Logan Holms for hours of volunteer labor building the new Exotic Barn, Trevor Whitney for working into the night to make sure we had electricity in the Exotic Barn for Fair, Jean Beerbower for above and beyond coordinating the Fair Rummage Sale, Book Sale and grounds landscaping and Neil Beerbower for all his resources when we needed different items before and during Fair.

These community members who are willing to step up and donate unlimited hours are what makes the county Fair our “family tradition” that it is and hopefully will remain for years to come."

If you need to gain access to the fairgrounds contact Manager Lore Twiet at 360-431-5247, or you can call 1-360-795-3480 and leave a message on the fairgrounds answering machine.

The next Wahkiakum County Fair Board meeting is September 8, 7 p.m., T-Building, at the Fairgrounds in Skamokawa. The public is always welcome to attend.