By Joel Phelps
The Arkadelphian

Although the COVID-19 pandemic last year forced the Clark County Fair to cancel, there were still exhibitors showing livestock in 2020. And the number of exhibitors this year has surpassed that of 2020, said Cindy Ham, county extension agent for 4-H and agriculture.

“We’re gonna have a good Livestock Show the next few days,” Ham said Tuesday afternoon at the Livestock Barn of the fairgrounds. “We’ve got a lot of young exhibitors, and we hope that this program continues to grow. We still have some empty pens, so we still got room for more kids and more animals.”

[adrotate banner=”17″]

Supporting the livestock shows, as well as livestock sales, greatly benefits the youth who spend their time and energy raising the livestock. “Come and support the 4-H and [Future Farmers of America] youth,” Ham said. “This is their game. They put in the work — their families and themselves — and we need to reward them. It’s about them and their work.”

The Rabbit Show will take place Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., followed Wednesday evening at the same time by the Lamb, Goat & Swine Show and the Beef & Dairy Show on Thursday. Capping those livestock shows will be the 4-H Poultry Chain Sale at the Poultry Barn, scheduled Saturday at 10 a.m. After that will be the George Sharp Junior Livestock premium sale, at 10:30 p.m. A buyer’s lunch follows those events Saturday.

Again, Ham encouraged fair-goers to support the youth who entered livestock. “We need to recognize the kids that have put in the work through the summer,” she said. “The money they receive helps them fund their project, and then put toward their projects in the future. We hope the ones showing will come back and be with us again and show some more livestock, or maybe even start a new livestock project.”

The Petting Zoo, which is a popular field trip for elementary students throughout Clark County every fair season, has been canceled. However, Ham said individual tours can be scheduled by calling the extension office at (870) 246-2281.