Board discusses 2020 fair - positives, negatives

After having to postpone last month’s Washakie County Fair Board meeting, the board met Monday to review the 2020 county fair and begin planning the 2021 fair by discussing changes that are needed.

Board member Marty Cross began the discussion stating “in general I think everything went pretty good. I got very positive feedback. Everyone was glad to be out and about.”

Beth Shaffer said the feedback she received was also positive.

Regarding COVID protocols, Shaffer said she did have a complaint that the board was not forcing those in attendance at the grandstand events to social distance.

Washakie County Public Health told the Northern Wyoming News last month that some COVID-19 cases had attended the fair but it was unclear if that was where they contracted the virus.

Cross added that while the feedback was mostly positive, there “were some hiccups we need to work on next year.”

Those included:

•Provide Washakie County Building Supervisor Tom Schmeltzer with a list of items that need to be fixed prior to the fair and give the list in May or earlier to provide time for them to be completed by fair.

This year, Cross said they made repairs to the arena and some parents had to make repairs to fix leaking water lines in the pig barn.

•Cross said they need to eliminate multiple entrances into the arena for the grandstand events. He said several factors at the county fair rodeo resulted in many people getting into the event free. One issue was organization, including the way competitors were told to check in, some ticket takers at one gate were late in arriving, allowing one gate open for people to enter without paying.

He said the board brought in $4,300 for the rodeo but could have brought in $6,000 to $7,000. The Monster Trucks brought in $9,704 in revenue; the ranch rodeo, $2,199; and pig wrestling, $6,609.31 in gross revenue.

Cross recommended having only one gate for spectators and moving the south end bleachers to the north side.

Another issue he heard at the rodeo was contestants being unhappy about people walking through where the horses are and where some of the riders get ready. He said the board could close that area on the south end off to contestants only, noting it is closed for the monster trucks.

The board liked the idea and said whoever they have take tickets next year will be given expectations including have adult supervision, making sure they know how to check if people are contestants or have paid previously.

If they do make the change they would need to monitor the handicap parking to ensure the spots stayed available for those who need them.

•Another issue was the rodeo itself. Cross and Lapp said there were apparent issues regarding brand inspections and health inspections of competitors’ horses, they also had reports that winners in the kids and the fair rodeo that had not been paid by rodeo contractor David Love. Cross said he had reached out to Love asking if he could come to the meeting Monday night but Love texted he was out of town but that all checks had been taken care of.

Contacted via text during the meeting, Love said he would be at next month’s meeting, which is Oct. 12.

Cross said Love was the lone bidder for the kids and fair rodeo. Board members are working to ensure they have several bidders for next year’s fair with some people already expressing interest to a few members.

•Washakie County 4-H Educator and Junior Livestock Sale Committee member Amber Armajo said the sales committee have been discussing potential changes to the sale.

They all noted that people enjoyed having the sale outside, as well as the swine show. However, Armajo said most of the buyers do not participate in the buyers luncheon served before the sale.

They are discussion different options including possibly moving the sale to 11 a.m. and having the luncheon after.

•Armajo also asked the board to consider a different day for the clean-up day. She said clean-up day at the fairgrounds is usually the Saturday the week before the fair horse show, however, it is also the same Saturday as the Ten Sleep Kids Rodeo, and several 4-H members competed in the rodeo.

They discussed having an evening clean-up time on a weekday instead but no decision was made Monday night.

•There was also discussion about the order of the sale with lower prices coming at the beginning when the grand champions are sold. Armajo said the committee is considering allowing the champions to pick their spot in the sale with the rest of the sale order being random as it was this year. In past years the show judges set the sale order.

•Shaffer said the music was a hit and having Daniel Kosel handle the music scheduling has worked well for the fair the past three years. She said, however, she received a lot of requests for Tris Munsick and the Innocents to return. Munsick performed in 2019. She has passed that information on to Kosel. She said they also had a lead on an area singer, Grace Vigil, and they have asked Kosel to include her in the lineup next year as well.

•The board also discussed the need for more goat pens and they would like to get them ordered or have someone begin working on them as soon as possible. They also need to replace the loading chute at the rodeo arena.

This year the board will provide cash for premiums. Any premiums not picked up this year the cash will be deposited back into the fair board account. This eliminates having outstanding checks that at times have never been picked up or cashed.

Armajo said she would provide a total amount of premiums with names of the 4-H and FFA youth to the fair board by Wednesday so the cash envelopes could be prepared. Youth will pick up the premiums from the 4-H office or FFA advisor.