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Fair celebrates 25th year at Expo
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Dathan Proffitt, left, shows a french copper marans chicken to the poultry judge, Wednesday at the Barton County Fair. - photo by Susan Thacker/Great Bend Tribune

A bigger-than-life silver cake reminds visitors to the Barton County Fair that the event is celebrating its 25th year at the Expo this year.
When the fair moved from the 4-H grounds to site west of Great Bend, the volunteers brought its traditions with them. But there was now room to grow into a fair with open class events, concerts and a carnival midway.
As things got underway Wednesday, rabbits and poultry were among the 4-H animals judged. Conner Schenk and his brother Parker recalled that last year no one was allowed to bring poultry to the fair because of an avain flu epidemic. But they still had a chance to show the judges what they knew.
“We had a stuffed chicken,” Parker said.
“We had to show the parts,” Conner added.
The brothers are members of the Great Bend City Slickers 4-H Club.
Dathan Proffitt, a member of the Eureka Homesteaders 4-H Club, had several pens of poultry, including salmon faverolle and french copper marans breeds. There was a story behind those chicken; they were hatched last April in Mrs. McGurk’s third grade classroom at Eisenhower Elementary School. Students got to observe the chicks for a few weeks before returning them to the farm.

Thursday’s events
7:30 a.m., Business Appreciation Breakfast/Chamber Coffee (Expo II), Check in Open Foods, Open and 4-H Horticulture (Gardening & Flowers), Open and 4-H Crops
9 a.m., 4-H Swine Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)
10 a.m., Judging of Open Foods, Open and 4-H Horticulture (Gardening & Flowers), Clothing and Quilts, Open Arts and Crafts (Expo II)
11 a.m., Judging of Open Photography & Rocketry
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Barton Co. Fair Ag Challenge of Champions, FACS Judging Livestock Skillathon Contest (Expo II)
1 p.m., Judging of 4-H Project Display, Notebooks and Posters Photography, Reading, Home Environment, Self Determined, Wildlife, Rocketry, Energy Management, Entomology, Geology and Forestry and Open and 4-H Crops (Expo II)
2 p.m. Judging of Open and 4-H Woodworking, Judging of Open Ag Mech (Expo II)
2:30 p.m., 4-H Livestock Judging
5-10 p.m., Commercial Exhibits Open (Expo I)
5-10:30 p.m. Birthright food court
6 p.m., 4-H Bucket Calf Show (Expo III), Dog Agility Demo (Expo III), Wagner’s Carnival
6-8 p.m., Free Stage Entertainment (Expo II)
8 p.m., Christian Concert - Sidewalk Prophets (Farmers Bank & Trust Stage

Friday July 8
7:30 a.m., 4-H Dairy Goat Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)
9 a.m., 4-H Meat Goat Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)
11 a.m., 4-H Sheep Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)
5 p.m., 4-H Beef Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)
7 p.m. Round Robin Practice (Aaron’s Repair Arena)
5-10 p.m., Commercial Exhibits Open (Expo I)
5-10:30 p.m. Birthright food court
6 p.m. Wagner’s Carnival
6:30 p.m. Fashion Show presented by Barton Co. 4-H - Free Stage (Expo II)
8 p.m., Country Concert - Stoney LaRue /w special guest Forgotten Highway (Farmers Bank & Trust Stage)