Goldendale FFA prepares for Klickitat County Fair

Grace Bland For The Sentinel

The summer’s most exciting event is almost here, and Goldendale FFA is buzzing with anticipation for the upcoming events. The Klickitat County Fair is hard not to love, with the entertainment, delicious foods, and noisy animals making the week packed full of fun. For the FFA, this week is more than just fun, as many of the members will be competing to win ribbons and belt buckles, as well as make some money. The months of hard work put in by the members will be on display this week as they show off their efforts.

Fifteen FFA exhibitors will be participating in livestock showing at the fair this year in the swine, sheep, goat, and steer departments. To be eligible for participation the member must be at least in their sixth-grade summer and no older than the summer following their senior year. They must also be enrolled in an agricultural class during the school year. Each animal has a different purchase and weigh date, but each animal must make the required weight at pre-show as well as the required weight during the weigh day at Fair. Similarly, each animal has a different scale for minimum and maximum weights that the kids do their best to adjust to. The exhibitors are also required to complete a project record book to keep track of their animal’s progress and the exhibitor’s work habits. Species specified posters, completed project visits, and pre- show planning meetings are other requirements that the exhibitors must complete prior to fair. Each of these requirements must be completed and turned in by the mandatory date given to the members or else the kids could risk being ineligible to compete. The exhibitors do a hefty amount of work behind the scenes in preparation for the Fair. The Sunday before Fair, the members are set to work setting up their animals’ stalls. Once that has been completed, the kids haul their animals in on Wednesday between seven and eight at night. The next morning, the kids will be awake before sunrise to clean their stalls and animals. As the week goes on, the exhibitors will have a rotation of tasks such as maintaining the cleanliness of the barns and animals, as well as competing in the different showings. Depending on the animal, the kids will all be doing different tasks for their showing competitions. The competitive showings take place in the mornings of Fair, and Goldendale’s FFA exhibitors will face other kids their age from across the county.

Josh and Randi Krieg are the FFA advisers for Goldendale, and this season of year is just as busy for them as it is for the kids. The pair conduct project workdays to help the members complete their record books and fair posters. They also have the job of visiting the members to check on the progress of the animals. That can consist of them weighing the animals if necessary and taking pictures of the kids for their stall cards. Josh explains, “Advisors prepare the material for stall decorating and gather decorating supplies for members to use.” Josh and Randi gather everything the kids will need and make sure to check on each individual member to best help them reach their needs. The work they do throughout the year for the kids involved in FFA is incredible, and their work has been a joy to both the younger and older populations of Goldendale.

The excitement for this year’s Fair is contagious, as the whole town is ready for the activities to commence. “We are looking forward to the start of a normal year,” Randi says. COVID took its own toll on the fair, just as it did with many other things, but this year is a new start. The ambitions for members of the FFA goes beyond fair even, all the way to Indiana. “We have a great group of officers who have started planning out the year and look forward to being recognized as top chapters,” Randi comments.

Goldendale High School and

Goldendale Middle School FFA Chapters are preparing for the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indian in October. That journey is a special one for the kids, and the town can’t wait to see how they do at the convention. Until then, the Klickitat County Fair will be sharing the work the exhibitors have dedicated, and high hopes are expected for the extremely talented group.

§ The End.

WED, AUG 17, 2022

8 am: Fair Office open

Little Arena:

8:15am: Vet Check for Haul In/Out Only

8:30am: Open Showmanship

9:00am: Leadline

9:30am: Open Western Eq

10:00am: Leadline Costume

10:30am: Open Bareback Eq.

11:00am: Leadline English Eq.

11:30am: Open English Eq. Noon to 12:30pm: Lunch Break

12:30pm to 2:30pm: Reining

Big Arena:

8am-Noon: HORSE CLASSES Begin: Peewees followed by Junior, Intermediate, Senior, and Adult SHOWMANSHIP

Noon-1pm: Lunch

1pm-3:30pm: Halter

Noon-2:30: Rabbits, Poultry, Cavies brought to Small Animal barn, vet checked, & caged

2-4 pm: ALL LIVESTOCK UNLOADED, VET CHECKED/WEIGHED. No animals allowed in barns before 2 pm

2:30pm: Rabbit, Poultry & Cavy exhibitors meeting.

4 pm: Miniature Horses/Ponies check-in; MUST BE VET CHECKED BEFORE STALLING.

5 pm: FAIR AND RODEO QUEEN contestant Speeches on RENO’S STAGE

5:15 pm: Livestock exhibitors meeting

5:30 pm: Ranch Sorting in arena