PIO - Mecosta County Before the Fair - June 2022

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efore the Fair

2022

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ecosta County Free Fair returns in July

Fair president: ‘There are events for everyone, and they’re all good’

BY BRENDAN SANDERS

MECOSTA COUNTY — The Mecosta County Free Fair returns July 1116, with many crowd-favorite events, including the demolition derby and Skerbeck Family carnival.

Community interaction is what fair board president Steve Cramer looks forward to most this year.

“Just having the community come out and interact with one another is probably the best thing about the fair. The community gets to see the work people do in the community, including the kids.” Cramer said.

The carnival, which has been run by the Skerbeck Family Carnival for over 10 years, kicks off at 5 p.m.

Monday, July 11. Mega arm bands can be purchased before the fair at

Currie’s Amaco for $70, while at the gate they will cost $80. Daily wristbands will cost $15 between 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and $20 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Saturday, wristbands will cost $25.

The first grandstand events will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday with Harness Racing called the Colt Stakes.

This will be multiple 1-mile-long races (two laps) between standard bred horses with carts on the back.

On Wednesday, the harness racing will wrap up with the Overnight and Celebrity Races beginning at 6:30 p.m.

On Thursday, the Super Kicker Rodeo will take place at 7 p.m. This will bring competition from both local riders and riders from across

the state.

Friday will bring the MTTP Michigan Truck and Tractor Pullers, starting at 7 p.m.

Saturday will wrap up the grandstand events with the annual demolition derby that will start at 7 p.m.

“There are events for everyone, and they’re all good. The demo derby is usually our biggest draw, but people like the rodeo, people like the 4-H shows, there are all good events that people can come to.” Cramer said.

Pricing for grandstand events is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. The harness racing price is also $5.

At the moment, the fair will not hold

poultry exhibitions or showings this year in-person, after a 30 day stop order was put in place by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development due to avian influenza or “bird flu.”

While there is a small chance that the ban could be lifted, it is expected that poultry will need to seek alternatives. The current plan is to potentially hold the poultry exhibition virtually, with more details being released closer to the event.

John Currie, the fair manager, gave an update on the plan.

“I think we will be doing it virtually.

We have not got it down pat yet, but we will in another couple of weeks.” Currie said.

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4 Continued from page 3 Other shows will include rabbits, sheep, swine, horses, ponies and cattle and are listed with times below: Monday shows: • Rabbit show - 9 a.m.

• Goat show - 1 p.m.

• Sheep show - 6 p.m.

• Horse demonstrations - 7 p.m.

Tuesday shows: • Swine show - 9 a.m.

• Horse & Pony Show for Versatility and Teams - 2 p.m.

Wednesday shows: • Market Beef, Market Dairy, & Baby Calf Show - 9 a.m.

• Horse & Pony Show for Jumping, Huntseat, Saddleseat, English and Gymkhana - 1 p.m.

Thursday shows: • Dairy Breedstock Show – 9 a.m.

• Horse & Pony Show for Trail and Reining – 9 a.m.

Friday shows: • Horse & Pony Show for Fitting & Showmanship, Western and Gymkhana – 9 a.m.

Saturday shows: • Horse & Pony Show for Cloverbud and PeeWee classes including Cloverbud Costume Class – 10 a.m.

• Horse & Pony Show (Costume Class ages 8-19) - 1 p.m.

The livestock auction will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday at the covered arena.

For more information, visit mecostafreefair.com or email the the Mecosta County Free Fair at mcfreefair@ gmail.com.

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t 95, Big Rapids woman fulfills carnival dreams at county fair

BY OLIVIA FELLOWS BIG RAPIDS — The Mecosta County Fair carnival staff helped one nonagenarian live her bucket list dream of taking a spin on the fair’s merrygo-round ride in 2021.

Mereda Bailey, then 95, a life-long resident of Michigan, born in Traverse City and now living in Big Rapids, loves the fair and had one wish that the employees of the Skerbeck Family Carnival were able to fulfill.

Bailey has always loved the fair and rides that come to town, but has been unable to ride them herself late in life. When Bailey and her daughter, Nancy Stephan, and sonin-law, Randy Stephan, arrived at the fair, they toured the exhibit halls and took in all the smells and sights before heading to the merry-goround.

With the help of Skerbeck Family Carnival staff at the Mecosta County Fairgrounds, 95-year-old Mereda Bailey lived her longtime dream of riding the fair’s colorful merry-go-round ride. (Photo courtesy/ Nancy Stephan)

While touring the midway Thursday, July 12, 2021, she remarked giggling to her family that she would often play the shooting game at the fair and bring home the smallest prize.

Nancy Stephan said the experience was made all the more special because of the effort the staff made to make the ride possible for her mother.

“Her eyes were bright when she saw the ride. Because Mereda was restricted to her wheelchair, there were a few extra obstacles to overcome,” Stephan said. “The gates were opened wider, horses were repositioned, and the other patrons were very accommodating at such a special request.”

Once the employees were able to secure a place for Bailey to ride safely, the ride began, and Stephan said the happiness could be seen on her mother’s face.

“From the first rise and fall of the horses, there was an instant smile on her face until the end of her ride,” Stephan said. “It was such a special day and moment that was experienced by many that day, and everyone came together for a common purpose, to make a 95-year-old lady’s wish come true. This memorable experience touched many lives and will not be forgotten.”

Stephan said she wanted to especially thank Karen Stites, with the Mecosta-Osceola Transit Authority, and especially the Skerbeck Family Carnival for making her mother’s unforgettable experience possible.

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June 2022

arness-racer describes what makes the Mecosta County Fair special

Larry Smith: ‘I’ve won a lot of races here’

BY JOE JUDD

Longtime harness racer Larry Smith and his colt, Calmy Senorita, pose for a photo prior to Monday night’s race.

(Pioneer photo/Joe Judd)

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BIG RAPIDS — Harness racing is a traditional staple of the county fair, much like how it has been a staple in Larry Smith’s life for nearly a half-century.

Initially, Smith said he had ponies years ago that he would race but, after a tragic and rather unforeseen incident, he decided to slightly shift gears.

“We had a fire and lost them, and when I bought them back, I bought horses,” Smith said. “At that time, there was more money in horse-racing.”

Smith, like so many of his colleagues, made his return to the for the first time in two years, after COVID-19 forced its eventual cancellation last summer.

“I’ve won a lot of races here, and I’ve had a lot of fun here,” Smith said.

Few things can top coming in first place in a harness race, but there are many aspects of fair season Smith said keeps him coming back year after year.

For Smith, the Mecosta County Fair has always been a special occasion, and it isn’t solely from the success he has experienced on the track for the better part of the previous 50 years.

The horses in which Smith races are around two years of age, so the health and safety of his companions is always at the top of his priority list.

With the continued reputation associated with the Mecosta County Fair, safety typically isn’t a concern for Smith when he makes his annual trip to Big Rapids each summer.

“One reason why I like to come here is the track and the facilities are nice. That’s where you want to go with your horses, where you think it’s safe,” Smith said.

Smith currently races two horses — Calmy Senorita and Fear the Only One. In fact, Smith crossed the finish line in first place in his respective event Monday night, with the one and only Calmy Senorita pulling Smith into the top spot, finishing ahead of six other competitors.

“One reason why I like to come here is the track and the facilities are nice. That’s where you want to go with your horses, where you think it’s safe,” Smith said.

June 2022

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PHOTO CAPTIONS: • Top: Smith leads the pack on the home stretch during Monday’s harness-racing grandstand event at the Mecosta County Fair. (Pioneer photo/Joe Judd) • Bottom Left: Smith and Calmy Senorita gallop their way to first place. (Pioneer photo/Joe Judd) • Bpttom Middle: Smith and his colt prepare to hit the home stretch during Monday’s harness race at the Mecosta County Fair. (Pioneer photo/Joe Judd) • Bottom Right: Smith has made yearly appearances at the Mecosta County Fair for close to a half-century.

(Pioneer photo/Joe Judd)

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June 2022 The barbecue chicken booth at the Mecosta County Fair, a long standing tradition run by the Big Rapids Rotary Club has been handed over to the Angels of Action. (Photo courtesy/Joe Crew) Big Rapids Rotary Club president David Nichols (center) with Big Rapids Rotarian Michelle Moen (right) hand over the keys to the chicken barbecue booth at the Mecosta Fair to Angels of Action co-founder Joni-Thompson (left) during a ceremony this week. (Photo courtesy/ Joe Crew)

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ig Rapids Rotary Club ‘passes the grill’ to Angels of Action

BY JOE CREW

BIG RAPIDS — After a decades-long tradition of operating the Rotary Club Chicken Barbecue at the Mecosta County Fair, the Big Rapids Rotary Club has passed on the responsibility for the annual event to the Angels of Action community service organization.

In a brief transition event last year, Rotary Club President David Nichol, along with board member and Rotarian of the Year Michelle Moen, passed a ceremonial key to Angels

of Action co-founder Joni Thompson.

Beginning in 2021, Angels of Action began running the longstanding tradition at theMecosta County Fair with continuing help from some Rotary Club volunteers. The volunteers have been working with Angels of Action to create a smooth transition in order to help preserve this local institution which has served the community for so long.

“It was just time. Angels of Action has done a great job having lots

of volunteers,” Moen said in 2021, when asked about the reasons for the change. “It was time for us to make that exchange and pass over the key.”

After 2020’s event was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the topic was put back on the table according to Rotary Club board member Ben Montgomery.

The local Rotarians have manned the annual chicken barbecue going back to the early 1950s and built the current building at the Mecosta County Fairgrounds in 1982.

“Angels of Action is the absolute correct entity to take the baton from us. They’re doing such a smart job,” he added.

Handing off responsibility for the event has been under discussion in recent years due to manpower and resource concerns.

“We actually are beyond thrilled to have the torch passed on such a community tradition,” Thompson said.

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June 2022

Continued on page 12 Angels of Action, an organization founded by Thompson and co-founder Julie Miller, celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. According to Thompson, the primary mission of Angels of Action is providing meals to children in need.

The organization provides weekend backpacks to children who are food insecure and may be getting most of their meals at school.

Making sure the kids have healthy and nutritious meals on the weekend is the goal. The Weekend Backpack Program is need-based.

Information about the program is available at angelsofaction.org or by calling the Angels of Action office at 231-629-8140.

Thompson also said a large part of the funds raised at the annual chicken barbecue event would go to support Angels of Action’s new mission called Literacy in Action.

This program works to provide resources designed to improve the literacy of children in need.

The Literacy in Action program will help children become more literate by providing tutoring and other resources and will be supported by local honor students and college students.

Rotary Club volunteers, along with Angels of Action, have been working to keep the annual chicken barbecue fundraiser going strong and a continuing service to the community, along with being a county fair tradition.

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Friday night’s tractor pull marked the penultimate night of grandstand events for this year’s county fair.

(Pioneer photo/ Joe Judd)

oud motors, dirt, and a few billows of smoke

Bob Vanhuizen: ‘The reactions from all the kids and the fans is always fun’

BY JOE JUDD

BIG RAPIDS — Every year when the county fair makes its way to town, there are plenty of things for the community to look forward to.

For some, it’s seeing their children hop on a ride or win a prize, and for others it’s grabbing a helping of fried food followed up with a sugary treat.

But there are some who check the fair schedule when it is released each summer to see what grandstand events will be taking place that week. Among the many events with the biggest pull — no pun intended — is the tractor-pull competition.

Loud diesel engines, a few thick blasts of black smoke and a crowd whipped up into a frenzy: that is part of what makes tractor pulling so special for Alex Goodale and Bob Venhuizen, of Grand Rapids. For

them, it is all about entertaining the kids and putting on a show.

“It was started out specifically just as a crowd-pleaser, something that broke up the difference between the standard truck or tractor you see going down the track,” Goodale said. “I’ve been involved with it now (for) 15 years.”

Venhuizen, who is Goodales’s friend as well as the one typically in the driver’s seat of the tractor, has been at the wheel for four years now. He said it is an adrenaline rush but, at the same time, he enjoys putting on a show and getting a new generation of youngsters interested in the art of tractor pulling.

“The reactions from all the kids and the fans is always fun,” Venhuizen said.

The friendly setting of the county fair frequently provides an opportunity to make tractor pulling a truly

immersive experience for anyone wanting to get a closer look at the ins and outs.

Goodale said parents are bringing their kids out to the track to see the same tractors that they once saw in their youth.

“It is good when you see the smiles on their faces,” Goodale said. “We have a ladder on the other side (of the tractor) and they can actually climb inside the truck and see what it is.”

Venhuizen said that is a unique aspect of the tractor pull and one that is not typically offered to the fans.

The Mecosta County Fair is usually a destination on Goodale and Venhuizen’s list.

“We usually come every year,” Goodale said. “They have good food — there’s some steak out there that’s really good.”

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mecosta county FREE fair

Monday, July 11th thru Saturday, July 16th, 2022 Tuesday, July 12 6:30pm

Harness Race (colt stakes)

Wednesday, July 13 • 6:30pm harness overnight/ celebrity race

2022 FAIR SCHEDULE MONDAY, JULY 11TH • 5-11PM $20 DAILY ARMBAND

9 AM 1 PM 3 PM 5-11 PM 6 PM 7 PM

Rabbit Show Goat Show Roping & Obstacle Course Midway Opens Sheep Show Horse Demonstrations

TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE: $1 EA.

TUESDAY, JULY 12TH • 1-5PM $15 ARMBAND; 6-11PM $20 ARMBAND

9 AM 1-11 PM 2 PM 6:30 PM

Wednesday, July 13

Kids day

Horse & Pony Show (Versatility and Team Competition) Midway Opens Horse & Pony Show (Versatility and Team Competition) Horse Racing

WEDNESDAY, JULY, 13TH • 12-11PM $20 DAILY ARMBAND

9 AM Market Beef, Market Dairy, & Baby Calf Show 12-11 PM Kids Day 1 PM Horse & Pony Show (Jumping, Huntseat, Saddleseat, English, and Gymkhana) 5 PM Ag Olympics 6:30 PM Horse Racing

THURSDAY, JULY 14TH • 1-5PM $15 ARMBAND; 6-11PM $20 ARMBAND

DAILY

Horse & Pony Shows

9 AM 9 AM 1-11 PM 5 PM 7 PM

Dairy Breedstock Show Horse & Pony Show (Trail and Reining) Midway Opens Mecosta County Livestock Auction Sale Rodeo

FRIDAY, JULY 15TH • 1-5PM $15 DAILY ARMBAND; 6-11PM $20 ARMBAND

9 AM 1-11 PM 2 PM 7 PM

Horse & Pony Show (Fitting & Showmanship, Western, and Gymkhana) Midway Opens Youth Scavenger Hunt MTTP Michigan Truck and Tractor Pullers

SATURDAY, JULY 16TH • 1-11PM $25 ARMBAND

10 AM

1-1 PM 1 PM 7 PM

Horse & Pony Show (Cloverbud and PeeWee Classes including Cloverbud Costume Class) Midway Opens Horse & Pony Show (Costume Class ages 8-19) Demolition Derby

Thursday, July 14 7:00pm

Super Kicker Rodeo

Friday, July 15 7:00 p.m. point classes: 5500 v-8 hot rods • 8000 diesel pro stock 93 super farm • 6200 super stock pickups hot diesel pickups • 2.5/2.6 diesel pickups

Saturday, July 16 7:00pm

Front Wheel Drive & Mini-Van Demo Derby Stock Off-Road Derby Modified Off-Road Derby Power Wheels Racing for Kids Cash Awards & Prizes for Winners.

First 20 Demo Derby Registrants receive $50 from Mecosta County Fairboard.

MUST BE PRE-REGISTERED. www.Unique-Motor-Sports.com or FB Page. For Info call 616-636-8180

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June 2022