Full-Force Fair!

WALLA WAL- LA - Waitsburg held its own in the animal exhibitions last Thursday at the Walla Walla County Fair.

Even through the sea of posters, animals and kids and parents bustling about the animal barns at the fairgrounds, the Waits- burg students were easy to spot.

Ten-year-old Amy Far- ley from Waitsburg was busy brushing down her large, black steer in the barn preparing for judging Thursday morning. Farley said she'd had the Angus steer for eight months. This was her third time showing steers at the fair and she has even before received a first-place rib- bon.

Farley said judges are looking for a "fat steer." And to make him fat, she said it's pretty easy.

"You just feed him his grain," Farley said.

Big Guy, Farley's steer, was also competing against steers in the same division as her broth- ers Drew and Jared. She believed she had a good shot at a high place that morning.

"He's probably going to do really good," Farley said. "He's a nice steer and easy to work with."

Big Guy didn't live up to being easy to work with. When it was time for the small girl to lead him out to the showing arena, she had trouble getting him in the right direction, pushing and pulling him in the right direction. But, all of the hard work paid off for Farley and her brothers.

Jared Farley took first place, Amy Farley took second place and Drew Farley took third place out of the six steers in their category. The judge said the Farley kids from Waitsburg were the top three in the group because their steers had "enough on them."

In the poultry barn, Ian Doepker, 15, from Waitsburg, was eagerly anticipating his judging Thursday morning. Doepker was showing four chickens at the fair. He said he got the birds this year as a school project and has been working hard with them.

"They're pretty well- trained chickens," he said.

Doepker said his secret to training is to buy a lot of broccoli to use as a treat.

"I get them to trust me and eat out of my hand," he said proudly.

This is his first year showing poultry at the fair. And while he was having a good time learning how to take care of the birds, he said the tough part is rising as early as them.

"It's hard having to get up early every morning as a teenage boy," Doepker said.

But, he is proud to hold down the poultry barn as the only Waitsburg kid. And he's working hard to bring the blue ribbons back to the Burg. He said he had even just put Vase- line on the birds' legs to shine them up.

"I think I'll do pretty well," he said.

In the horse barn, the teenage Adams sisters, Beka and Emily, were brushing down their hors- es and wiping their eyes to prepare them for judging. The sisters said they par- ticipate in the Walla Wal- la, Waitsburg and Dayton fairs every year.

Emily, the younger sis- ter, said she likes having her older sister involved who can help her out.

Both of the girls are part of the Saddle and Spurs 4-H Club.

Emily was all dressed up in a shiny, metallic- looking shirt that morning with a pink sparkly belt ready to go in the ring.

She said attending all of the events each summer and early fall is a lot of work, but the sisters have bucket loads of ribbons to show for it.

And the best part of having horses? Emily likes the speed and Beka uses riding and horse care as stress relief.

"It's good therapy," Emily agreed.