Friday, 26 August 2011
Cows and Horses at the 4-H Fair
It's that time of year again, time for the splendid Hunterdon County 4-H Fair. We were planning to go on Thursday but it was a soggy, wet, rainy day (nothing to do with Hurricane Irene, that will come and saturate us on Saturday / Sunday.) Paul likes the antique farm machinery and backhoes for sale and stuff. I delight in the livestock. So we pick a time and place to meet and go our separate ways.
The dairy cow barn is filled with holsteins, from young heifers to mature milk producers.
There's no odor. Something I didn't think about, but this makes cleaning a cat's litter pan a mere bagatelle.
I was impressed by this young Hereford bull being lead around the show ring by a slip of a girl.
Clearly she's put much time and effort in training him. Even so, a nose ring and chain for control.
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The real winner though was this 18 month old, sweet natured shorthorn steer. The girl showing him
was right on it to set him up for the judge, tap with the cow stick to straighten his legs as he posed
(and also scratch his belly, keeping him content and quiet.) They received top award for their class.
.
The horse barn is right next door. Just a few pleasure horses and a couple on miniature horses.
The horses all have comfortable stalls decorated by the exhibitors. Open sides provide good air circulation
The horses on this side of the barn, like this handsome one, can look at the adjacent field used for their events.
A wagon team comes into view. It's used to shuttle fair-goers over to the horse event field.
I'm delighted to see these two teams of Belgian draft horses. There's another team, of grays. Later
there will be a plowing match. The pair below are named Harley and Gus. It helps in their training
I heard, if the off horse is always kept in that orientation - in the barn, when trailering, when working.
If you enjoyed this visit to the fair you can find the other entries here for agricultural entries and bees, here for sheep and goats, and here for chickens and rabbits.