Emily Archuleta won the ribbon for Grand Champion Market Poultry at the Rio Blanco County Fair, which concluded on Saturday in Meeker. Mr. White, her Roman tufted goose, was purchased at the 4-H/FFA Junior Livestock Auction on Saturday evening by Poor Boys Construction for $400.
The heart of the fair is the 4-H/FFA Junior Livestock Auction, which closes out the fair on Saturday when all the market animals go up for public auction unless the exhibitor doesn’t want to sell the animal or animals. This is Whitney Rusher with one of the Grand Champion market rabbits, a package of three named Huey, Dewey and Curley Sue. The rabbits brought $700.
Madison Kindler of Meeker is relaxing back in the pen with her pig, which captured the Grand Champion ribbon in the senior showmanship division of the swine competition.
Sean Mcmahon photos
Meeker’s Jim Cook took Champion, First Place and Best of Show ribbons at the Rio Blanco County Fair for his “Mount Everest” collage in senior photography.
A lot of county children were happy on Saturday afternoon after they caught their own pet rabbits during the fair-sponsored Rabbit Chase, held inside the 4-H Community Center during the Rio Blanco County Fair.
Five contestants either sang or played guitar for the “Rio Blanco County has Talent” competition at the fair on Friday, and taking second place was Amy Jo Rosendahl, who sang “Biscuits” for her portion of the competition.
Quilt making is always a big deal in Rio Blanco County, and the county fair is no exception. Above, Bev Brennan’s adult class piece blue and brown quilt took the championship ribbon.
The fashion show is a big part of the program for the youngster who posed with their sheep during the fair. Above, Leah Wood took first place in the Bo Peep competition.
Teagan Smith’s lamb was another popular entrant as the kids were showing off their lambs and their western outfits, which were a part of the competition.
There was a wide array of entries in the floraculture competition at the Rio Blanco County Fair. Many sizes, colors, types and displays were entered this year, but the number of total exhibits was down a small amount from last year.
Kacie Lapp of Rangely had another good fair showing, and above is Lapp with her championship showmanship sheep in the intermediate class.
The top object of the Rio Blanco County Fair is to have a market champion beef, pork, goat, sheep, swine, chicken or poultry because then you can sell those animals at the 4-H/FFA Junior Livestock Auction usually at a price high above what you would normally get for the animal. Above, with the champion market beef is owner/shower Kaden Franklin, whose beef was bought Saturday evening by Watt’s Ranch Market and brought in an auction high of $4,750.
Another name that is associated with winning in the 4-H and FFA livestock competitions is Kolbi Franklin, who is seen here with her reserve champion beef in the senior showmanship classification. Franklin was a multi-ribbon winner at the fair.
Meeker’s Macy Collins took the top honors with the champion market goat at the 2016 fair. During the 4-H/FFA Junior Livestock Auction in the 4-H Community Center, Collins’ goat drew a winning bid of $1,800.
The Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds was a popular spot for competitors to campout during the fair, and much of the fairgrounds was taken up by Rio Blanco residents, those who didn’t want to travel to Meeker each day from Rangely and a number of Meeker residents who didn’t want to leave their pets unattended over night.
Sean Mcmahon photos
Meeker’s Jim Cook took Champion, First Place and Best of Show ribbons at the Rio Blanco County Fair for his “Mount Everest” collage in senior photography.
The rocket launch was an exciting event held Wednesday during the fair, and it was not rare for the rockets to soar several hundred miles an hour to heights above 1,000 feet. Above, the rocket belonging to Kayla Scott just begins its mission, hundredths of a second after launch.
Ryann Mergleman is seen here showing off her sheep during the junior showmanship competition, and Mergelman came away with the champion ribbon for her efforts.
Meeker’s Rowdy Rosendahl took first place in the Open/4-H Talent Show outside the 4-H Community Center on Friday. Rosendahl was the only non-singer to compete, and he played his guitar along with the song “Crazytown.”
The Rio Blanco County Fair had been going on for two weeks, and one of the top ropers during the horse show portion of the fair on July 29 was Andy Urista.
The horse show portion of the county fair was held July 30 at the arena at the fairgrounds, and one of the horsemanship classes was in English riding. Above, four riders are set for the dressage competition, and that was followed by jumping.