The Stanislaus County Fair is over halfway into its 10-day run in Turlock and local FFA and 4-H members are enjoying success with animal entries and braving the heat.
Hughson FFA member Grace Curry was one of those who showed swine entries on Monday in the judging ring. Her face reflected mild disappointment when her animal placed third and earned her a yellow ribbon.
“You win some, you lose some – that’s part of the game,” said Curry who has been raising her FFA hog since January.
“I’ve taken him to a couple of shows across California. He’s done pretty well for me. This was his last show so I’m not mad about it. Obviously you wish to win (grand champion) but that’s just not the reality some times.”
Also in her last year of showing at the fair is Central Valley High School FFA member Kadynce Piceno, who graduated in June.
“This is my first year doing lamb and my third year doing rabbits,” said Piceno. When asked how she felt about this being her last FFA experience at the Stanislaus County Fair, she replied, “I’m a little upset but it’s been fun.”
Piceno cared for her lamb – named Bernardo – at the Ceres Unified School District student farm near Hidahl Elementary School. Caring for the animal meant visiting the farm once in the morning and once in the evening every day since she got him earlier this year.
The fair gives her an opportunity to “have the experience with my animal and learn new things and just meeting new people, being around everyone.”
All market rabbit show exhibitors from Central Valley High FFA made weight and will be selling their single fryers at Saturday’s 8 a.m. auction. In rabbit showmanship, member Juliette Hernandez placed fifth in Novice; Cassie Guzman was seventh in Advanced Breeding Rabbits; Arlene Dominguez Del Toro placed fourth in Solid Senior Doe Mini Lop; Alina Raya placed second in Solid Senior Buck Holland Lop; Kavanh Keomuangchanh landed fifth in Solid Senior Buck Holland Lop; and Gloria Bautista Aragon made seventh place in Solid Senior Buck Holland Lop.
In FFA dairy competition, Central Valley High student Carmen Garibay placed fourth in Novice Showmanship, Tiffany Michelena third and Nicole Mejia fourth in their Replacement Heifer classes.
The fair opened Friday evening to a packed audience for music legend Clint Black, followed by Common Kings on Saturday, Mi Banda El Mexicano De German Roman on Sunday, Diamond Rio on Monday, and Twist on Taylor, a Taylor Swift tribute group last night.
Remaining acts include 3OH!3 to perform tonight with their brand-new single, “Hit me Harder”; Ashanti on Thursday, Mayday Parade on Friday, Ying Yang Twins on Saturday and Banda Carnival on Sunday which is closing night.
The public is invited to stop by the Stanislaus County Office of Education’s exhibit booth at the Stanislaus County Fair tonight from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to meet County Superintendent of Schools Scott Kuykendall and members of the Stanislaus County Board of Education. The Superintendent and the five elected board members (Paulo Carvalho, Chinyere Nnodim-Jack, Alice Pollard, Kim Rose, and Mary Ann Sanders) are responsible for making major policy decisions in budgeting, curriculum, and planning for the County Office of Education.
SCOE’s exhibit booth will be located in the Shopping Expo throughout the fair’s run, from Friday, July 10, through Sunday, July 19.
