Annual showcase
Warren County Fair underway after wet start on opening day
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PITTSFIELD -- The Warren County Fair began Monday with a wet and muddy start, but the rain didn’t keep fairgoers away for long.
By noon, skies had cleared, the grounds were filling with visitors and young exhibitors were hard at work settling their animals into place for the week ahead.
For many 4-H members, opening day is the culmination of months of preparation and the beginning of a week filled with competition, family, friends and plenty of time spent caring for their livestock.
Among those getting settled on Monday was 11-year-old Emmett Nickerson, who is in his third year showing cows at the fair. Emmett shows alongside other members of his family and said it takes plenty of time to get an animal ready for the fair.
"We put in a lot of work to get to this point," he said.
Emmett was already getting into the spirit of fair week, visiting with people who stopped by the livestock area and introducing them to his cow, Timmy. Timmy proved to be a friendly attraction, allowing visitors to pet him as Emmett talked about his project.
While opening day gave exhibitors a chance to get their animals settled and cared for, the week ahead will bring plenty of activity, including the Warren County Youth Livestock Auction.
The auction is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday at the livestock complex at the Warren County Fair. An estimated 44 youth exhibitors are expected to sell livestock this year.
For the young exhibitors, the auction represents the payoff for months of daily care and preparation.
The Warren County Youth Livestock Auction gives 4-H members an opportunity to sell market animals they have raised throughout the year. Participating clubs include the Multi-Species Club, Shamrock Sheep, Kinzua Cowpokes and the Ham Handlers. Animals sold at the auction include cattle, sheep, pigs and goats.
Proceeds from each sale go directly to the individual 4-H member, helping offset the cost of raising the current project while also providing money that can be invested in next year’s animals.
For Emmett, auction day is one of the highlights of the fair.
His favorite part of the experience, he said, is auctioning his cow and making money at the end of the process.
But the auction is only one part of the experience. Before a young exhibitor can bring an animal into the auction ring, there are months of feeding, cleaning, training and care. This work was evident throughout the livestock areas on the first day of this year’s fair.
As the Warren County Fair continues throughout the week, the livestock barns will remain a hub of activity as 4-H members care for their projects and prepare for the competitions and auction still to come.
For exhibitors like Emmett, however, the first day of the fair is about more than simply getting an animal settled into its pen. It’s the start of a week that showcases the time, effort and dedication young people have put into their livestock projects all year long.