Carp Fair co-president.
Bruce Paul
A year of planning and a solid organizational chart are expected to make the 2010 Carp Fair as successful as those of days gone by.
“This year’s theme is Rural Roots,” said the fair’s co-president, Bruce Paul.
The fair’s roots have never been in doubt. Unlike the latter years of the Central Canada Exhibition at Lansdowne Park, the Carp Fair board hasn’t let agriculture and rural traditions fade away in favour of entertainment and the midway. There’s 147 years of tradition at stake.
“The entertainment is only a small part of what we offer,” Paul said, listing the cattle, horse, pig and sheep shows as examples. “You can’t take 10 steps without running into agriculture.”
The entertainment committee has been busy, booking acts such as Colin James, Tommy Cash and Chilliwack. A first-time event for Carp is a high-diving show – the Flying Fools perform three shows each day.
“They dive 80 feet and at night they do it on fire,” Paul said.
The fair’s other co-president for 2010 is Marilyn Cavanagh. She is in charge of homecraft while Paul oversees agriculture.
Cavanagh said the variety of activities the Carp Fair offers is part of its strength.
“People expect a rural atmosphere,” she said, “instead of a city exhibition. When it says ‘fair,’ I expect to see the agricultural side of that.”
The homecraft exhibits will include traditional items such as baking, sewing and quilting, as well as weather-dependent flowers.
Cavanagh said local photography has become more popular, with the number of entries increasing each year.
“In the junior department, the schools have always been exceptional,” she said, adding that, despite only three weeks of preparation time, “they always come through.”
OPEN TODAY
The fair opens today, Sept. 23, and runs through Sunday. Some highlights include:
• the heavy horse pull, Friday at 7 p.m.;
• a ceremonial parade, Saturday at noon;
• a strongman competition, Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.;
• a garden tractor pull, Saturday at 7:30 p.m.;
• Western games, Sunday at 9 a.m.
• the 4-H Club market hog auction, Sunday at about 3 p.m.
As co-president in charge of agriculture, Paul has been working full-time on fair business for the two weeks prior to opening day. The extra work has been keeping him away from his own rural roots.
“I milk cows,” he said when asked his full-time occupation.
In his absence, his father and friends have been pitching in to keep the farm running, Paul said.
He has been a regular at the fair for 20 years, starting as an associate with the Junior Farmers, and has served on the Carp Fair board for 11 years. The fair’s organization sees each board member advance through the many committees to an eventual turn as co-president, representing either agriculture or homecraft.
“I’ve been on the track and it’s amazing how fast it goes,” Paul said of his ascension to co-president.
Cavanagh has also been away from her usual job as a receptionist, spending this week strictly on duties at the fair offices.
Agricultural events at the fair draw participants who are familiar with livestock and farming, but non-rural attendees enjoy the shows too. Ag events at this year’s fair, by day, include:
Friday
• school fair – ag awareness;
• 4-H Dairy Club Achievement Day;
• Eastern Regional Clydesdale Association Show;
• holstein heifer show;
• heavy horse pull.
Saturday
• Hunter and children’s please pony show;
• miniature horse show;
• saddle harness show;
• heavy horse show;
• hereford show;
• limousin show;
• shorthorn show;
• all coloured breeds show.
Sunday
• Ottawa Valley Western Horse Association show;
• Young Canadian simmental show;
• Ottawa Valley commercial horse show;
• sheep show;
• 4-H horse achievement program;
• simmental show;
• angus show;
• team penning:
• steer show.
For the full schedule, see inside today’s paper or visit www.carpfair.ca.