Ringgold county residents will jump from the Fourth of July celebration into the Ringgold County Fair as the annual exhibition gets underway beginning Wednesday, July 7, at the county fairgrounds north of Mount Ayr.
The fair will run from the first judging and entertainment on Wednesday, July 7, through the fair sale that closes out the week on Sunday, July, 11.
An overview of the fair with a schedule of events and details about changes at the fairgrounds and events such as the queen and princess contests in included in today’s Mount Ayr Record-News.
Here’s a rundown on the events for the Ringgold County Fair on a day-by-day basis.
Wednesday, July 7
The opening day of the fair sees the entering of the open classes exhibits from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The 4-H exhibit building project judging will be held beginning at 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Check in for dogs, pets, poulty and rabbits will be held at 5 p.m. The animals do not need to be present.
At 5:30 p.m. 4-H and FFA families are invited to a supper provided by Great Western Bank.
From 6:30 to 8 p.m. the 4-H exhibit building will be closed for state fair selection.
At 6:30 p.m. the annual Ringgold county fair queen and princess contest will be held followed by a concert by the Rumley Brothers Band. There is a charge for the events of the evening.
Thursday, July 8
Activity Thursday will begin at 8 a.m. with the weigh-in and stalling of swine entries and the weigh in and stalling of sheep and goat entries at 9:30 a.m. Beef and horses are to be stalled beginning at 10 a.m. and poultry and rabbit entries will be in place at 10:30 a.m. The weigh-in for beef projects begins at 10:30 a.m.
At 12 noon the communications presentations will be judged -- educational presentations, working exhibits and share the fun entries.
The 4-H and FFA poultry show will be judged at 1 p.m., followed by the rabbit show at 2:30 p.m.
The county council has scheduled a water balloon fight at 3 p.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m. the Crooked Creek 4-H Club is sponsoring a new event at the fair -- the chili cook off.
There is a $10 entry fee for contestants with entry fees to be awarded back in prizes. People can pay a fee to sample the chili entries in a chili feed as part of the event.
Pictures of the outstanding junior, considered for state fair and state fair winning entries will be held at 5:30 p.m. The cowgirl queen and princess contest will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the rodeo at 7:30 p.m. Mutton bustin’ for the kids will be held during the rodeo and an entry form is included on the sports pages of today’s Mount Ayr Record-News.
Friday, July 9
Activity gets underway Friday morning with the swine judging at 8 a.m. There will be games for senior citizens at 10 a.m. at the commercial building.
At 12 noon the goat show gets underway, followed by the sheep show at 1 p.m. Also at 1 p.m. the conference judging of the bucket calf and bucket calf plus one divisions will take place.
At 2 p.m. there will be games for Special Olympians at the commercial building.
The 4-H pet show judging begins at 2:30 p.m. At 3 p.m. there will be a mud volleyball tournament sponsored by the 4-H County Council and at the same time a pedal tractor pull will be held.
At 3:30 p.m. the 4-H and FFA dog show will be held.
Evening entertainment includes the Bill Riley Talent Show at 6 p.m. and the ATV races at 6:30 p.m.
At 7 p.m. the 4-H and FFA horse show performance classes will be judged.
Saturday, July 10
The 4-H County Council pancake breakfast will be held from 6 to 9 a.m. to open the day’s activities Saturday, July 10. This is a fund-raiser for the group.
Feeder calf show entries must be on the grounds at 7 a.m. Saturday.
The 4-H and FFA feeder calf show judging gets underway at 8:30 a.m. and baby contest registration for the 10 a.m. show begins at 9 a.m.
The 4-H and FFA breeding beef show judging starts at 9 a.m. as well. Check in for the 4-H and FFA Challenge Recipe contest starts at 9 a.m. for the judging at 10 a.m.
The 4-H bucket calf and bucket calf plus one show will be held at 11:30 a.m, followed by the pee wee wrangler show where youngsters get their first opportunity to show a calf at noon.
The fire safety house has tentatively been scheduled to be at the fair from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
The 4-H and FFA market beef show judging begins at 1 p.m. There will be kids and adult games at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon and the open class feeder calf show begins at 3 p.m.
At 6:30 p.m. there will be a Midwest Pullers Association pickup pull and a garden tractor pull for the evening entertainment.
At 7 p.m. Bill Hollard and the Poor Boys and the Atkins Family Three will be appearing in a free concert at the upper arena as well. This new event was scheduled too late for the events list in the special section.
A balloon artist and clown will also be on the grounds during the day Saturday
Sunday, July 11
Activity gets underway at 9 a.m Sunday morning with the 4-H and FFA horse halter show.
A mud run will be held at 12 noon and the future 4-Her pet show sponsored by the 4-H County Council will be held at 12:30 p.m.
Animals that will not be sold at the sale will be released along with all 4-H exhibit building exhibits at 1 p.m. The exhibits need to be removed by 5 p.m.
At 2 p.m. the youth pie baking entries will be due at the 4-H office. There will be a fair sale supper beginning at 5 p.m., followed by the 4-H pie sale and livestock auction beginning at 6 p.m.