Letter: Rio Blanco County Fair will be here soon

With flowers blooming, garden vegetables being planted, and kids working with their 4-H projects, we know (or hope) that summertime is just around the corner.
The Rio Blanco County Fair Board works hard every year to plan a wonderful community event, the Rio Blanco County Fair. This year, the theme is “Chasin’ a Country Rainbow.” Attendees will see the return of many of their favorite fair activities, including the ranch horse competition, Little Buckaroo Rodeo, sheep lead, 4-H/FFA and open livestock shows, general 4-H projects and open class exhibits, rabbit chase and the pet rock contest.
The fair is not only a fun family event to attend; it’s a great time and place to showcase your special hobbies, skills and interest. The fair offers open classes for everything under the Rio Blanco County sun! Share your arts with the community, bring your … artwork, photography, leather crafts, home-grown vegetables and flowers, homemade pies, cookies, beer, wine, jams and jellies, to home-spun fabrics, afghans and quilts. For a full listing of classes, check out the fair book, which will be available in June.
2010 Fair events will begin July 22 with the cake decorating contest at 10 am, followed by the Fashion Revue which begins at 7 p.m., showcasing the sewing club’s hard works as well as a display of all the cakes. The next contest before the weeklong events is the County Shoot-off, held July 24 at 9 a.m. at the Sportsman’s Range. The county horse show begins the following Friday, July 30 with the team roping, and continues on July 31 with the traditional horse show and ranch horse competitions.
The 4-H/open dog show will kick off fair week on Aug. 3 at the Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds. The community is invited and encouraged to give the show a try with their own dogs. The county fair will host the 4-H Exhibit Day on Aug. 4, followed by the open class indoor exhibits, which will be judged on Aug. 5 along with the start of the livestock shows. The 2010 County Fair Junior 4-H/FF Livestock Sale will be Aug. 7 at 6 p.m. The week is jammed packed with shows, contests and delicious food from 4-H clubs, the Stockgrowers, the Woolgrowers and the Meeker Lions Club!
Make plans now to show your exhibits and attend the 2010 Rio Blanco County Fair. Fair Books will be ready soon and will have all the class listings and rules. And as always, feel welcome to call the Rio Blanco County Extension Office in Meeker at 878-9490 and Rangely at 878-9495 with any questions.
Dessa Watson
CSU Extension agent,
4-H/youth development