Board mulls COVID-19 fair guidelines

WORLAND — The shows will go on. That was the final word from the Washakie County Fair Board Monday night at a special meeting.

After a nearly two-hour discussion on COVID-19 safety protocols for the upcoming Fair July 25-Aug. 1, the Washakie County Fair Board unanimously approved a motion to have the animal shows continue as normal, with COVID-19 guidelines in place.

Chief Washakie FFA Advisor Grace Godfrey, along with beef and pig show superintendents Myles Bush and Lynn Murdoch, respectively, and 4-H Educator Amber Armajo presented a few ideas to the board.

The group told the board that the indoor barn where the pig show and the livestock sale are usually conducted cannot accommodate either in order for people to properly social distance the required six feet per state COVID-19 guidelines.

Board members said they had already made the decision not use that specific barn during the fair due to COVID-19.

There was discussion about getting a large tent to use to provide shade at the outdoor show arena where the sheep and beef shows usually are held.

Bush said the tent size needs to be 50-feet by 100-feet or 60-feet by 120-feet.

Godfrey said she would like to see the board adhere to the guidelines released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) including providing adequate distance between penned animals, providing health and safety protocols during weigh-ins at the scale, and proper social distancing or safety protocols for the youth during shows.

She and Armajo also discussed whether the animal shows should be “show–and-go” shows to minimize any health risk to the exhibitors and the public.

Show-and-go shows would be where the youth bring the animals, show them on the same day and then take them home.

Godfrey said, “As an educator my job is to keep my kids as safe as possible.”

Bush said he had concerns about the travel hardship that would put on exhibitors from Ten Sleep or who did not live near Worland. For those showing more than one animal and selling at the livestock sale that would mean multiple trips with the animals to and from the fair. He noted that pigs do not travel well.

The board unanimously approved a motion to have regular livestock shows.

RABBIT SHOW

The only exception was one made a few meetings prior, which is the rabbit show. That decision was based on concerns of an infectious and contagious viral disease of rabbits, Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2), which was confirmed this spring in New Mexico and Arizona in both domestic and wild rabbits.

According to the Wyoming Livestock Board, the presence of RHDV2 in the U.S. domestic rabbit industry or in the wild rabbit populations could potentially impact the pet rabbit industry (e.g. 4- H, FFA), and other academic, industry, and hobby groups (e.g. exhibitions, laboratories, livestock (incl. meat), pelt and hunting). Rabbit owners are advised to enhance their typical biosecurity measures, thus the change in this year’s rabbit show.

Each exhibitor will have their own table to show on and the judge will go from table to table and not touch the rabbits.

SWINE SHOW

While most animal shows allow the participants to properly distance themselves, there was discussion about the swine show, whether to show one hog at a time, whether to require the exhibitors to wear masks or whether to split the market classes so there were only three to four exhibitors showing at any one time, eliminating the need for the participants to wear masks.

Ultimately the board, and Superintendent Murdoch agreed to split the classes as needed.

Cross said they will have signage around the fairgrounds with COVID-19 guidelines, masks will be available but he added, “When do we start taking responsibility for our own lives?”

TICKET SALES

Another concern for Godfrey was the FFA members handling ticket sales for the evening entertainment events in the rodeo arena. She said they are happy to help and will wear masks but she does not feel the members should be responsible with counting to ensure only 250 spectators enter the arena.

Per the state guidelines on outdoor gatherings, only 250 people are allowed at events, but the number does not include participants and staff.

The board did not provide a definitive answer for Godfrey, but after discussion with Commissioner Fred Frandson they agreed to seek a variance from the local and state health officers to potentially allow more than 250 spectators at the paid grandstand events.

There was discussion about also taking only credit cards but there would be considerable expense in getting that set up.

Frandson also told the board that there were grants available from the State Loan and Investment Board for COVID-19 events that could possibly help with the expense of the tent.

The board said to properly distance all the animals, and utilize other areas as needed additional pen panels would need to be purchased.

The board agreed to look into the grant to help with those expenses.

They also noted that they were ordering bandanas for all spectators at each of the grandstand events — pig wrestling, ranch rodeo, youth rodeo, fair rodeo and Monster Trucks.

VETS AND WEIGH INS

Regarding Godfrey’s concern about the weigh-ins and the social distancing guidelines, the board said they would have hand sanitizer there, masks and look at other things they can do to provide a healthy weigh-in during fair.

Armajo, Godfrey and Bush asked about the whether the animals had to have health certificates before arriving on the fairgrounds.

Chairman Jeff Lapp said it is harder and harder each year to have a veterinarian available at all check-ins.

However, this year, due to time being short, they would strongly urge all fair participants to have their animals checked and provide a signed health certificate when they arrive at the fair. They will work to have a veterinarian available this year. Next year, however, any exhibitor who arrives without a health certificate will be told to return home.

In addition to requiring a health certificate for the animal the board and the livestock leaders also discussed having a health form for each participant to sign stating they have been COVID-19 symptom free for at least 72 hours.

There was discussion on whether the participants had to sign a form daily or just on the first day they arrive at the fair.

Frandson suggested the board and leaders use common sense in this regard.

More on Monday’s meeting will be published next week in the Northern Wyoming News.