THE SHOW GOES ON: Camaraderie is compromised, but 4-H’ers and their families make the most of the fair

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Layla Bagnall, 9, looks over her rooster, which she won in a raffle during the Poultry Show at the Hancock County 4-H Fair. (Tom Russo | Daily Reporter)

GREENFIELD — There were some common sights at the Hancock County 4-H Fair — kids standing around with chickens tucked under their arms, a poultry judge with a fun and festive chicken hat atop his head, and a fair queen and her court strolling across the sawdust floor.

Yet it is the most uncommon fair the county has ever seen.

Organizers have spent the past four months feverishly preparing to put on a fair in the midst of a viral pandemic, one that makes face masks, sanitation stations and social distancing an imperative part of the typically laid-back county fair tradition.

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“The fair was already well into planning before COVID hit, so everything basically had to be redone,” said Teresa Bowlby, president of the Hancock County extension board, which helps put on the fair each year.

The fair is closed to the public — only 4-H kids and their parents are admitted — and they’re asked to leave as soon as the event they’re participating in is over. A team of volunteers has been assembled to help sanitize frequently touched surfaces throughout the fair.

The fairgrounds and main parking lot — typically packed with activity throughout fair week each summer — is eerily empty. No carnival rides or food vendors are on site.

“All we have are lemonade shake-ups,” said Rhonda Cook, a 4-H mom who has been volunteering at the fair this year.

On Monday, July 13, she stayed busy sanitizing the handles on the chicken cages at the poultry show. “A lot of kids, parents and the judges touch these handles, so we make sure to disinfect them this year to keep people safe,” Cook said as she rubbed liquid sanitizer into her hands.

Cook said she felt badly for the kids for having such a lackluster fair experience compared to typical years.

“It’s a little sad this year, but we’re dealing with it,” said Cook, who praised fair organizers for working so hard to still give the kids the chance to show the animals and the 4-H projects they’ve worked so hard on.

Fellow 4-H parent Tricia Bagnall felt the same way.

“I think overall everyone has been very gracious and willing to work with the kids,” said Bagnall, who, along with her husband Dave, have five children who all participate in 4-H.

As a mom and a former 4-H’er herself, Bagnall knows firsthand just how hard 4-H kids work on their animal showmanship and their projects. While this year’s fair clearly has its drawbacks, it would have been heartbreaking if the fair had been canceled altogether, she said.

“You can see that the workers are really trying to make it a great show for the kids, despite the challenges this year,” said Bagnall, whose family lives on Silver Leaf Ranch, a hobby farm in McCordsville.

Her daughter Layla, 9, is facing some especially unique challenges this year. Since she’s deaf and relies on lip-reading, face masks make it especially difficult to communicate.

As she stepped into the arena to show her Barnevelder chicken on Monday, Layla’s mom stood nearby in case she needed help. “Everyone has been very good about lifting their masks when they talk to her,” said Bagnall.

Face masks and social distancing are key at this year’s county fair.

Rather than parents cramming into bleachers to watch their kids present at the livestock shows, families instead sat in little clusters scattered around the barns.

Mike and Carrie Womack waited patiently with their daughter, 9-year-old Hannah, as she awaited her turn to show her millie de fleur chicken, Rosie, at Monday’s Poultry Show.

The day before they huddled together in camping chairs waiting for Hannah to show her Yorkshire pig, Marshmallow, at the Swine Show.

Mike Womack said their teenage sons opted not to show their animals this year due to the virus-related restrictions. “For them it’s very social — they love standing around talking to their friends at the shows, and enjoying the midway — but they wouldn’t have been able to do that this year,” said Mike, whose family lives on a hobby farm near Charlottesville.

“I think this year you’re seeing more of the real animal lovers like Hannah, who are really dedicated to these shows,” he said. “She loves getting to take care of her animals, getting to know them and coming up with their names.”

The lack of socializing at this year’s fair is a disappointment for parents and kids alike. “I think we all miss the interaction with people and friends, but everything has been running very smoothly,” said Carrie Womack.

Emily Bryan, a 4-H mom who has served as the fair’s poultry superintendent the past four years, misses seeing the kids all gathered together in the ring during the Poultry Show, chatting and laughing with one another as they await their turn with the judge.

This year, kids mostly sat with their families and their chickens in cages on the ground, with plenty of distance between them and the next family.

Like other parents who were asked, Bryan is sad to see the social distancing taking place at this year’s fair, but she’s thankful the fair could take place despite the COVID-related challenges.

She’s hopeful that next year the old familiar normalcy will return to the county fairgrounds, where dedicated 4-H’ers can gather and laugh together inside the ring during livestock shows, and midway lovers can enjoy the thrill of carnival rides and the smell of funnel cakes and corndogs wafting in the air.

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The Hancock County 4-H Fair is livestreaming many of its livestock competitions this week. They can be viewed on the Hancock County 4-H page on Facebook. Here is schedule of shows the rest of this week that will be streamed:

Wednesday, July 15: Sheep Show, 8 a.m.

Thursday, July 16: Dairy Goat Show, 8 a.m.; Boer and Meat Goat Show, 2 p.m.

Other shows from earlier this week are archived on the page.

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