It’s that time of year again! I have moved to the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. Why would I do such a thing? Well, my daughter has shown animals since she was 9, and for some reason she wants to keep doing it every year, so here we are.
The first couple years we roughed it. My parents generously loaned us their pickup camper and I think there was a tent stay in there somewhere, but here’s the thing, staying at the fairgrounds and showing animals for 4-h is a loud, dirty, dusty experience, so 4 years ago I did a thing, I bought a rather nice, brand new travel trailer. Since it was nicer than my house (I mean the thing has kitchen island for Musk’s sakes!), I jokingly started calling it the 1%er trailer.
Of course a real 1%er trailer probably wouldn’t have jeans with cow manure coating them residing in the shower, but here’s the thing, I’m about as far from 1%r as you can get, I have neither the time, desire, nor the energy to keep up with the Joneses. I just wanted a shower, fridge, and comfy bed to sleep in while surrounded by hundreds of others who smell like livestock as I do.
Anyway, Wednesday night we moved to the fairgrounds. My daughter likes to bring her steer down the night before weighin to make sure he’s comfy and not stressed. I love the fairgrounds before fair! It’s a hive of getting ready activity.
Here’s a few highlights:
There are 92 cattle being exhibited this year, with half arriving Wednesday and the other half Thursday. That’s not counting the sheep, goats, and pigs. Animals being shown are supposed to be show broke. However, there’s always at least one special person who tries to bring a wild beast and pass it off as a livestock creature who has been lovingly trained.
A jumped fence, broken golf cart, and a couple dislocated shoulders later, that particular steer was sent home. What’s really frustrating is the same people brought their crazy steer to weighin back in April and a similar scene played out. The Beef superintendents told that family that the steer wasn’t allowed back. I find it interesting when adults expect children to listen yet they often don’t model what they preach. Funny that.
After the impromptu rodeo fair arrival continued as it normally does, with parents and children getting more on each other’s nerves as the great unloading progressed. When you move to the fairgrounds to show livestock you have to bring a place to stay in Camper Village (tent or trailer), a livestock hauling trailer, all your show gear (stanchions, blowers etc), feed, and equipment galore. It’s a lot of logistics and timing, and that is a recipe for getting on nerves.
For instance my hubs and daughter had rubbed each other the wrong way during the Great Crazy Steer Debacle. Mainly the hubs was annoyed at the “helpers” who all put too much pressure on the loose steer and caused him to jump the fence, which cause chaos and disruption to an already chaotic unloading animals scene. My two lovelies exchanged words and shade while I was at the travel trailer unloading our supplies. My hubs arrived with our generator, plopped it down, turned it on, plugged in the trailer, and drove away in a huff to finish unloading steer equipment.
A short time later, my carbon monoxide alarm started blaring.
He hadn’t turned the generator around to exhaust into the alley and I am glad we have that alarm, else my fair stay might have been a short one lol.
Things like that happen though during stressful times, and I squared the generator away in a jiff.
Later, as I sat in my chair eating an ice cream cone, my friend and I noticed a family bring in a brand new travel trailer right across from us. As it has a big number ten painted on it, we figured it was a rental. That and you were supposed to have your trailers in Camper Village by Monday at the latest. Also, their tent magically disappeared.
Well, travel trailers, even new ones have quirks. For instance, if you aren’t level, sometimes your propane won’t work. We watched that guy and numerous concerned citizens try to get the propane flowing on that trailer. This show went on for quite some time. He finally gave up, but I was impressed with his resolve. So much so that I plan on helping him prime his lines today if I happen to catch him. That and I feel bad because some teenager in a fancy Jeep rammed his trailer tongue with his cow chucker (front brush guard). Boy can trailers bounce!
Late last night after getting everything settled and prepped for show day, I sighed and was drifting off to sleep. It’s a lot noisier than the farm. Sirens blaring accompanied the sounds of livestock bleating, oinking, baaaing, and mooing. People were laughing and shrieking contentedly in their peer groups, and the teens were all over at the dance floor Cupid Shuffling. My face melted into a content smile of We did it peacefulness when some young heathen stopped right outside my trailer and bellowed, * “I’m the queen of Idaho! I have potato power.” *
At that moment the livestock weren’t the only things making noise! 😂😂😂
