RICHMOND - Do you want to see cows? Beef
or dairy? How about horses? Or sheep?
Then the place that you want
to be is the annual Richmond Fair which this year runs from Thursday evening,
Sept. 16 through Sunday, Sept. 19 at the Richmond
fairgrounds in Richmond.
Now, talk about seeing cows.
Let’s count the ways.
There is an open 4H dairy
showmanship show followed by a pre 4H dairy showmanship show on Friday, Sept.
17 starting at 11 a.m. Then there’s a Jersey and Holstein
dairy show starting at 1 p.m. that same day.
But not enough. Then plan to
attend on Saturday, Sept. 18 when there will be a junior Shorthorn and junior Hereford beef show, an open 4H beef showmanship show and a
Shorthorn, Angus and Hereford
beef show.
If you still haven’t seen
everything you want to see, then return on Sunday, Sept. 19 for an open 4H beef
showmanship show with a pre 4H beef showmanship show following and a Limousin and Simmental
beef show.
But you are not a cow person
– you like horses.
Then plan to attend on
Saturday, Sept. 18 and Sunday, Sept. 19. There’s a saddle and harness horse
show starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18; the line classes in the heavy
horse show that same day, beginning at 9:30 a.m.; a western horse and pony
games show, also starting at 9:30 a.m. on the Saturday; and the hitch classes
in the heavy horse show starting at 1 p.m. on the Saturday.
But, wait, there’s more on
the Sunday, Sept. 19. There’s the western horse and pony performance show, the
miniature horse show (they’re so cute), the draft and commercial horse show, and
the hitch classes of the heavy horse show including the spectacular six horse
hitches.
And don’t forget the sheep.
The Fair’s sheep show begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 19. You may see a lot
of sheep but you won’t be falling asleep as you marvel at these woolly beasts
and their handlers.
So, livestock again this year
has its hoof prints all over the Richmond Fair. But this is only part of what’s
going on. There’s the Robertson Amusements midway and all its rides; there’s
family entertainment on the outdoor stage; there’s Kiddyland for the
youngsters; there’s entertainment in the arena; there’s wagon ride tours of the
grounds for seniors’ there’s the fascination of the antique farm machinery on
display; there’s home cooked meals in the dining hall thanks to St. Andrew’s
Presbyterian Church this year; and there’s a host of other special events like
the demolition derby, a lawn tractor pull, homecraft exhibits in the Richmond
Curling Club building, and a non-denomination church service on the Sunday
morning. So, when Sept. 16 to Sept. 19 comes, plan to follow the road to Richmond and enjoy a good
time at the annual fall fair which bills itself as “A Country Fair Where Town
and Country Meet.”