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Parade to kick off Washington County Fair

Photo by Janelle Patterson Ashton Binegar, left, and Kesselyn Bigley, right, walk around Binegar’s goats to give them exercise at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Friday.

MARIETTA — A cacophony of bleats filled the stalls surrounding the multi-purpose building as Ashton Binegar walked her market goats around the Washington County Fairgrounds Friday.

“You have to get them used to all the noise before we get to the show and then walk them around to get some nervous energy out,” the 14-year-old from Marietta said. “It helps them get used to their surroundings before I show them.”

The Washington County Fair will open this morning following the annual fair parade through downtown Marietta. For there, it will be four days of rides, food, entertainment and competition.

With just hours to go on Friday afternoon, the fairgrounds were filled with youth bringing in their animals for show and sale.

Binegar has been showing animals at the fair since she was 9 years old, and in that time has taken on responsibilities that give her little brother something to aspire to.

Photo by Janelle Patterson Erica Schultheis, 11, of Marietta, pushes one of her cows to get it to the other side for brushing at the Washington County Fairgrounds Friday.

“It’s a lot of work and training and takes a lot of dedication,” explained her father Steve, 47. “It makes me proud to see how she grows each year. Brody can join next year.”

Brody Binegar, 8, said for now he’s excited to sleep in a camper at the fairgrounds and run around with his friends for the weekend.

“And I get to pull, too,” he said, noting the tractor pull competitions coming today and Sunday.

Kesselyn Bigley, 14, of Lower Salem, said she’s fighting back nerves this weekend as she prepares to show not only lambs but also a market steer.

“Unlike goats, with lambs you don’t have a holder so you have to move them around by their heads and they have to be comfortable with getting their backs touched so the judges can check their muscles,” she said. “I’m very happy with my results and my male especially has a good bit of muscle that should prove helpful in the show.”

Photo by Janelle Patterson Alexis Miller, 9, of Stanleyville, keeps her black ewe calm after weigh-in at the Washington County Fairgrounds Friday.

For first-time competitor Alexis Miller, 9, of Stanleyville, showing her two lambs had her experiencing some nerves but also excitement Friday after weigh-in.

“I’ve learned that if you get mad they know and get mad too. They know your feelings,” she said. “So I’ve been practicing calming them down first by calming myself down. I just hope they don’t jump during the show.”

For Aiden Boyer, 12, of Belpre, his fourth year of showing lambs is only slightly nerve-wracking.

“I’m more excited than nervous to show,” he said. “And I’m excited to sell them and to see my friends and family and show them the work I’ve put in this year.”

But the fair isn’t only a time for nervous excitement with junior competitors. Parents are nervous and excited too, as are those adults competing in racing events or the flower show.

Photo by Janelle Patterson Vivian Baumgard, 55, of Cutler, adjusts her arrangement of yellow mums and purple Obedient flowers Friday in preparation for the flower show at the Washington County Fairgrounds Friday.

“She has to learn she can do anything and to not be scared,” said Rob Schultheis, of Marietta, about his 11-year-old daughter Erica as she brushed down one of her cows. “There are probably more girls than boys competing in this and that helps too.”

Members of the local garden clubs in the county were also brimming with excitement Friday in preparation for the judging today of several classes of arrangements and individual specimens.

“What makes it a competition is we have rules within the type of arrangement that have to be met,” said Vivian Baumgard, 55, of Cutler, as she explained her creative process for the design of a “Nature Comes Alive” class. “I was brainstorming what it means to come alive and how rhythms and a sort of dance and music are found in nature… I wanted to emulate that in this piece.”

Using a purple Obedient plant with light orchid-like flower petals, giant yellow dinner plate mums, magnolia leaves, painted sticks and vines and an orange metal figurine base, she said she hoped to capture that dance with color and movement.

“What’s nice about these competitions is the judges are from the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs and they’ve been trained and studied what makes these classes unique so they can give feedback right there about what they’re seeing,” she added.

Photo by Janelle Patterson Aiden Boyer, 12, of Belpre, wrangles one of his lambs at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Friday.

The judging for the flower show will begin following the fair parade today at 1 p.m. below the roller rink at the fairgrounds.

***

Today at the Washington County Fair

* 10 a.m.:

Parade from downtown business district to the Washington County Fairgrounds.

Tractor Pull, antique

Junior Fair Dairy Feeder Steer, Show Arena

Junior Fair Dairy Feeder Steer Market Classes, Show Arena

Immediately following DFS Showmanship, followed by Pee Wee DFS

* 11 a.m.: Junior Fair Poultry & Turkey Showmanship, Rabbit/Poultry Building

* 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Livestock Pictures, Horse Arena

* 1 p.m.: Junior Fair Horse Show, Horse Area

* Check in at noon, show begins at 1 p.m.

* 1 p.m.: Black and White Holstein Show, Show Arena

* Immediately after DFS show but not before 1 p.m.

* 1 p.m.: Junior Fair Poultry/Turkey Judging (Market), Rabbit/Poultry Building

* 3 p.m.:

Junior Fair Beef Showmanship, Show Arena

Immediately following Market Beef Showmanship

Market Beef Show (Market Classes), Show Arena

Immediately following beef showmanship and followed by Pee Wee Beef Showmanship

Junior Fair Poultry Show (Fancy), Rabbit/Poultry Building

Concurrently with Open Fancy Show, immediately following market but not before 3 p.m. and followed by Pee Wee Poultry Showmanship

Horse Pulls

* 4 p.m.: Junior Fair Cake Decorating, Junior Fair Building

* 5 p.m.: Tom Roddy and the Charlie Horse Band

* 6 p.m.: Junior Fair Beef Breeding Show, running concurrently with Open Beef immediately after Beef Breeding Showmanship

* 6:30 p.m.: Junior Fair Talent Show, Junior Fair Building

* 7 p.m.: Hot Tractor Classes

* 8 p.m.: Switzerland of Ohio Hereford Show

* Immediately following Beef Breeding Show but not before 8 p.m.

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