BENTON COUNTY — A number of Gentry, Decatur and Gravette residents exhibited everything from livestock to photography in the Benton County Fair last week.
This was the first year the fair was held in August instead of September. It also happened to fall on the first week of school, as students in the Gentry, Decatur and Gravette school districts returned to class on Thursday.
Nine Decatur FFA students, and seven 4-H members exhibited animals and crafts in the fair, along with a number of Decatur community members.
Agricultural teacher Lisa Barrett said Decatur students had a “phenomenal” year, even if it was a little hectic. Many of Barrett’s students came home with plenty of ribbons, including Lensey Watson who won five grand-championships with her lambs, and was awarded high point premium of the fair. Trevor Meek, another of her students, won a grand championship with his hog, and Lacy Barrett won three reserve grand championships and one grand championship with her hogs.
Decatur 4-H leader, Terry Burden, had a lot of students who brought home ribbons as well. One of the club members, Presley Smith, won grand champion supreme with her heifer, and another member, Haley Burden, had her crafts chosen to go on to the state fair.
Barrett said she has heard the fair went really well overall, with a large crowd and more classes in the evening so parents and grandparents could attend. Barrett said she initially had concerns about the fair being held in August instead of September, mainly because she wasn’t sure how the heat would affect the animals. But the barns were well ventilated and misters kept the animals very comfortable, she said. Burden agreed that the animals were all right, “but it was hot,” she said.
As a mother, and a teacher and an FFA leader, Barrett was pleased with holding the fair on the first week of school. Barrett said her fellow teachers have commented that students lost less instructional time because they missed only two days of school instead of a week and because it was during the orientation time rather than in the middle of the semester when teachers are getting down to business.
Barrett said the fair was hectic for her since she was playing three roles, but that everything worked out because she had a lot of help from parents.
“I think it’ll be fine (holding the fair in August). It’s just something to get used to,” she said.
The livestock sale on Saturday night did better than previous years, with a total of around $82,600 awarded, she said. Barrett said she was very thankful for all the buyers and supporters of the sale.
“The community really pulled through this year,” she said.
Kim Wilkins and Reuben Barnes raised $775 for add-ons for Decatur fair participants this year. The benefit poker run, held as part of the Decatur Barbecue Festival raised $475 and the rest came from donations from the Chamber of Commerce and private individuals, Wilkins said.
The result was that Wilkins was able to give the fair board $700 to divide between the Decatur FFA and 4-H members. The other $75 was divided between the three
Cloverbud 4-H members that exhibited livestock in the fair since they are not allowed to participate in the premium sale.