The best (and to some the longest) time of the year
is fair season. During this season there are livestock shows where 4-H and FFA
members exhibit their animals and try to win prizes. Now these kids are hard workers and know what
they are doing (for the most part). The visitors however have not been shown
the Visitors Guide to Properly Visiting
the Barns during a Show manual.
Once upon a time a closed gate meant that there was
something in the pen that should not get out or that should not be visited.
Somewhere between once upon a time and fair season the international symbol of
a closed gate has lost all meaning. The gates to the barns are thrust open,
completely ignored and swarms of humanity swirl through the aisles. Even chains
and neon signs do not stop these people. Very calmly and patiently do the
exhibitors try to get their pigs through the crowd, weaving through Abercrombie
jean-clad legs and Nordstrom donned foot. Oh and do not worry about touching
the spooked two thousand pound steer while the fifteen year old boy is holding
onto it, it will only cost you a broken
bone or twenty (never mind about the boy…).
During the heat of competition and stress of trying
to get animals prepared, shavings flying and water spraying the gates are once
again pushed aside and horror of horrors! The cry is taken up by child and
adult alike. “The Strollers are coming! The Strollers are coming!” The swinging
mobiles grin menacingly as these instruments of doom come on. The pigs balk and
run, the goats bleat in terror and the dairy beef bellow as they smash into the
side of the barn trying to escape. The child giggles and waves sticky fingers
in amusement. The parents smile, take out their smart phones to take pictures
of little Tommy at his first fair. The
exhibitors try to sneak around and get to the show ring but then Tommy sees the
pig. He opens up his gummy mouth and lets out a wail that would drown out vuvuzelas.
Mother whirls around and gives the animal and exhibitor a look that would kill
a dozen times over, and yells at them to move (forgetting she, and her sweet Tommy
are the intruders on the exhibitors turf). The pig listens, turns curly tail
and runs…in the opposite direction of the show ring, and turmoil is unleashed
in the barn.
So please, before visiting a fair or farm show, pull
out your copy of Visitors Guide to
Properly Visiting the Barns during a Show, dust it off and read it, cover
to cover. The exhibitors will appreciate it and so would the animals.
