Southeast Weld County Fair Edition
Volume 14 • Edition 15
August 4, 2021
Serving rural Adams, Morgan, and Weld Counties
“Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light” George Washington “If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed” Thomas Jefferson
History of the Southeast Weld County Fair
Weld Central FFA Members at the State FFA Convention in Sterling, CO
Re3J Weld Central FFA at the State FFA Convention
Members from the Weld Central FFA Chapter attended the Colorado State FFA Convention “Road Show” in Sterling, CO and Pueblo, CO during the week of June 7-11, 2021. During the convention, Weld Central was selected as the State Winner of the National Chapter Contest. This program is designed to recognize FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality Chapter Standards (NQCS) and a Program of Activities (POA) that emphasize growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership. Along with winning the National Chapter contest, Weld Central members were recognized for the State Career Development Events (CDE) and State Leadership Development Events (LDE) contests. The Colorado FFA State Winner in Employment Skills was Brian Kanmore. He will represent Colorado at the National FFA Convention in October. Receiving Gold in Dairy Judging was Sydney Patrick, in Employment Skills was Brian Kanmore, in Livestock Judging was Sydney Vaughn and Kashley Hayden, and in Creed Speaking was Hannah Auer. Receiving Silver in Floriculture was Katie Kipp, in Livestock Judging was Hannah Auer, in Meat Judging was Lela Prokop, in Milk Judging was Daniel Begler, in Vet Science was Elizabeth Spayd and in Prepared Public Speaking was Elizabeth Spayd. The Livestock Judging Team received Gold and the Meat Judging FFA Advisor Sarah Madsen, Brian Kanmore Team received Silver. At and FFA Advisor Emma Curtis the State Convention, five members received their State FFA Degrees - the highest degree that the state can bestow upon an FFA member. Daniel Begler, Jaclynn Moser, Wyollah Moses, Destyne Kalcevic, and Abby Perez received their State FFA Degrees. To round out the State Convention, Elizabeth Spayd was selected to serve as the 2021-2022 State FFA Executive Committee Member. This year, she will serve Colorado FFA while traveling the state to advocate for agriculture and connect with FFA members. Congratulations to Weld Central FFA for 2021-2022 Executive Committee Member, Elizabeth Spayd such a successful State FFA Convention!
The Southeast Weld County Fair is celebrating its 99th year this August. From its humble beginnings, it has grown into an annual celebration. Established as a non-profit organization with the State of Colorado in 1939, the original name of the association was the Keenesburg Fair Association. The founding Board of Directors consisted of Geo. W. Cooper, N.A. Pippin, G.C. Ohmstede, L.I. Barger and R.L. Martin. The original intent of the founders of the Southeast Weld County Fair Association was to “establish and conduct county and district fairs, exhibits, experimental grounds, facilities for demonstrations in agriculture, displays of agricultural, dairying, livestock, and poultry products, and household arts; to provide places for the exhibition of agricultural and A Family Event industrial products, machinery, and improvement of agricultural and domestic arts and sciences; to give premiums for displays; generally to encourage better practices and products of farming, industry, and household arts; to provide and assist in the holding of expositions, fairs, and enterprises for improving the quality and yield of farm products, manufactured goods, and merchandise, and the attractiveness of farm life; and to furnish means and facilities for community gatherings, sports, races, contests of skill, and amusements”. In 1952 the name of the association was changed to the Southeast Weld Junior Fair Association. Today the association consists of 28 members, including some ancestors of the original founders. The Southeast Weld County Junior Fair Association is the only independently-operated fair in Colorado, with no monies received from either county or state funding. The association relies on ad sales from the fair book, raffle monies, and generous donations received from the community to put on a 4-day event each August for the community. Their main focus is to provide a Generational Participation - What it is all about! venue for the 4-H and FFA youth to show and compete in their respective areas. They also provide the community with rodeos, a parade, and barbecue for their enjoyment. The association could not complete this tremendous task without the hard work put in by the association members and their families. It takes a lot of different skills to put on an event of the magnitude Fair Royalty of the SEWCF. Community volunteers also contribute to ensuring that the fair comes off smoothly-from the 4-H volunteers who help with weigh-ins and project judging on Thursday to the community members who to help serve the barbecue on Saturday. Without their help, the fair would not be a success each year. As we all know, 2020 was a hard year for most of the community, including putting on our annual fair. We worked hard to put on a fair for the youth of the community, cutting rodeos, the barbecue, and parade to follow pandemic guidelines. This year we are fortunate to be able to offer a full fair schedule for your American Legion Leading the Parade enjoyment. So, come on down to Keenesburg, Colorado and help us celebrate this year’s theme, “Back in the Saddle Again”! We hope you can join us!
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE:
We are gearing up to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Southeast Weld County Fair & Rodeo in 2022! We are trying to gather information about our past history to include in the celebration. If you have any old photos, newspaper clippings about past fairs, we would love to have copies of them to share with the community. We are especially interested in past Parade Grand Marshals prior to 2010 and Fair Queens so we can show how the Southeast Weld County Fair and Rodeo has evolved over the past 100 years. You can contact any fairboard member with memorabilia or information you want to share or send your information to SEWCF, P.O. Box 436, Keenesburg, CO 80643 or email southeastweldcountyfair@gmail.com.
Page 2: 35th Annual Sunflower National Auto Show Page 2: Call for Floats for the SE Weld County Fair Parade Page 8: 2021 Southeast Weld Fair Market Livestock Sale Page 12: Thank You to 2020 Livestock Sale Supporters Page 13: 2021 SE Weld Fair Parade Grand Marshals: Earl & Debbie Raymond Page 16: 2021 Southeast Weld Fair Events Schedule