Jeff Davis Parish Fair - 2018

The first week of October didn't bring any cooler weather, unfortunately, but it did bring the Parish Fair that is held each year in our town at the Fairgrounds.  Rides were set up, exhibits put together, animals brought to the barn and the smell of barbecue burgers and funnel cakes wafted over the muggy air.  Benjamin's FFA group sold 'Blooming Onions' at their booth for $8 a pop!

We brought our Jersey cow, Clarabelle, to the fair.  She's not in milk right now, but she is the best showmanship cow as she is gentle, laid back and has a feminine personality.  She bellows quite loud, but I guess that is a redundant explanation with the last trait in the previous sentence.  I kid, I kid.  Once the animal is cleaned up, there is some downtime to relax and visit with each other as well as other exhibitor families.

As show time nears, finishing touches are put on ol' Clarabelle.  Here, Tricia is applying some black shoe polish to her hooves.

It makes Clarabelle's hooves shine like a new penny!

Out in the show ring for showmanship, Benjamin (on the left) was showing against other breeds.  That is a Holstein in the center and a Brown Swiss on the end. 

The judge gave good tips on what went right... and on how to improve on things that didn't go so well.

In the end, Benjamin won Grand Champion Senior Showmanship with Clarabelle.  We took a picture of him and Clarabelle in front of the backdrop.  He didn't win a rosette ribbon or a belt buckle, but won cold, hard cash. 

Some friends in our Dairy Club took a photo of all of us.  We were very proud of Benjamin.  It takes a lot of patience and attention to detail to win Showmanship

Benjamin's 4-H Dairy Club worked on a booth in the exhibit hall to promote milk.  It was a circus theme this year and I think it turned out well.

When we loaded up Clarabelle into the trailer, we noticed that someone had left us a 'gift' in the back of the truck.  A goldfish.  I can remember when I was a boy, they had a game at the Parish Fair in which you attempted to throw a ping pong ball into a fish bowl.  If you were successful, you won the goldfish in the bowl.  I'm sure this was the same sort of game.  Benjamin and I decided to take the fish home and put him in the cows' water trough. 

The poor goldfish made it exactly ONE DAY.

The poor old goldfish was floating on the top of the water by Sunday at noon.  All good things coe to an end, I suppose.  The 2018 Jefferson Davis Parish Fair will be the last time Benjamin will exhibit and animal at the Fair as he'll be graduating from High School.  Tricia and I talked about maybe entering some of our okra or other garden produce as a fair exhibit next year.  Maybe the Sonnier's can still win a ribbon or two.  We'll have to wait until next year to see!