Duke and Dan were taking in the sights and sounds of the Livingston County Ag Fair on Wednesday, although they aren’t your normal fairgoers.
The two dogs were with their owners, the Schaffer sisters of Fairbury, as they waited for the dog show to begin outside the show barn.
“He’s not terrible,” Lexie Schaffer said with a smile, referring to Duke. “He’s pretty good.”
Layne Schaffer felt Dan wouldn’t do “too bad” at the show. So, what does it take to train dogs for something like this? According to the Schaffers, about 15 minutes of training a day for 12 weeks or whatever it takes.
Blake Brown with the Forrest Fireflies 4-H Club stood near his projects in the Humiston Building on the fair’s opening day. He created a bench for the occasion.
“My grandpa got the wood for me,” Brown explained. “He helped me cut it and I put it together.”
This is Brown’s third year participating in the fair as he is 11. He entered a Lego set last year and did wood burning the year before.
Ivan Miller from Cropsey was playing a game of bags to pass the time near the Swine building Wednesday afternoon with Holden Miller of Chatsworth. Ivan was just enjoying the return of an in-person fair.
“It’s just good to be back. Last year with the virtual show, it was different,” he admits.
Ivan shows pigs and lambs and was looking forward to competing in master showmanship on Saturday.
“We had reserve grand champion market lamb and then I was champion senior showman so that’s good.”
Holden also said it felt good to be back at the fairgrounds after a year away, although his family stays busy by attending shows in Louisville, Des Moines and Springfield. He has pigs and sheep and shows with his brother and sister, but enjoys pigs the most.
“They’re tamer and they do better,” noted Holden.
