Polk County
Living
The 2017 Polk County Fair
was a three-day extrava-
ganza filled with thrills,
tasty treats and family-
friendly entertainment.
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • August 16, 2017 7A
A ‘moo’mentous
event
EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer
Competitors had a variety of open class contests to
enter at the Polk County Fair, including fresh flowers.
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Cuteness abounds during the Beautiful Baby contest on Saturday morning at the Polk County Fair.
TOP LEFT: A contestant and her goat
partner race through the goat obstacle
course at the Polk County Fair on Thurs-
day evening.
Before the obstacle course, goats and
their human counterparts were judged in
a costume contest.
STEPHANIE BLAIR/Itemizer-Observer
ABOVE: Charlie the velociraptor and his
handler drew crowds of onlookers, some
a little apprehensive, during his times
loose at the fairgrounds last weekend.
Those brave enough to get close could
pet him and take photos with him. Oth-
ers decided to keep their distance.
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
LEFT: Sheep await grooming in the sheep
and goat barn at the Polk County Fair on
Friday afternoon.
Animal exhibits are always a popular at-
traction at the fair and this year’s lineup
made for crowded barns.
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Auction day brings range of emotions
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
RICKREALL — On the
outside, Owen Jones looked
calm, cool and collected.
He was moments away
from leading his steer into
the 4-H and FFA Youth Mar-
ket Auction during the Polk
County Fair on Saturday af-
ternoon.
Jones, 11, is in his third
year with 4-H, but this was
his first time bringing a steer
to auction.
Although he has been
through the auction
process before, auction day
still left Jones with a mix of
emotions ranging from
happiness to an almost
sense of dread of what was
to come.
“It’s really sad,” Jones
said. “You can do all you
want to prepare, but it does-
n’t really help.”
Jones spent hours each
day grooming his steer.
During the months of
preparation, Jones said you
connect with your animal —
even when things aren’t so
easy.
“I like working with cows,
even though sometimes it
feels like I don’t,” Jones said.
“Sometimes, when they
don’t want to listen to you
and start running you over
it’s hard, but overall, it’s
fun.”
Those struggles have
served a higher purpose,
Jones said.
“It teaches you a lot of pa-
tience and to be able to stay
calm in stressful situations,”
he said.
While this was a moment
to shine, it was also a mo-
ment that signaled what was
to come — mainly Jones’
steer going to a slaughter-
house.
And, despite the smile he
put on, Jones couldn’t help
but let his sadness show
through.
“It’s hard (to have to say
goodbye),” he said.
But the auction was also a
proud moment, especially
for Owen’s mother,
Michelle.
“He’s learned responsibil-
ity and how to take owner-
ship of something,” she said.
“He spent three or four
hours a day cleaning, feed-
ing and taking care of the
steer. The ownership you get
from that is something I
don't think a lot of kids his
age have.”
Despite the bittersweet af-
ternoon, Owen said he
wouldn’t trade his experi-
ence for anything.
“If people are thinking of
joining 4-H, they should be-
cause it's really fun,” he
said.
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Owen Jones prepares his steer for auction on Saturday afternoon.