A Fair to Remember
Another one is in the books.
The 2015 Montgomery County Fair finished up Sunday with a successful week of 4-H and family events.
The week began last Tuesday evening, when the opening ceremonies took place.
When she was a little girl, Isabelle Perkins would watch with awe as the Montgomery County Fair Queen candidates were introduced.
“I always looked at the fair queen and the girls in the court and I wanted dress up just like them,” Perkins recalled. “I wanted to be them.”
Perkins’ dream came true as she was crowned the 2015 Montgomery County Fair Queen during the opening ceremonies.
An eight-year member of the Lincoln Hustlers 4-H Club, Perkins is a senior at Red Oak High School. During this year’s fair, she will have plenty of entries in the static exhibit, including sewing, photography, clothing fashion and a blueberry pie, in which she takes special pride.
“A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into that pie,” Perkins joked.
The daughter of Matthew and Ingrid Perkins, Isabelle has had several exhibits qualify for the state fair competition, and currently serves on the 4-H youth board.
Perkins will represent Montgomery County at the State Fair in the queen pageant.
Kendra Top, Villisca, finished first runner-up and won the contestant-chosen Miss Congeniality award while Cassie Vrabel, Red Oak, received second runner-up honors.
Perkins also received the Red Oak Rotary Club’s Service Above Self Award. In addition to receiving a gift certificate and a certificate of achievement, Perkins’ name will be engraved on a permanent plaque displayed in the fair building, alongside other winners of the award designed to recognize youth leaders.
Also during opening ceremonies, Dan Hansen and Kerry Confer were inducted into the Montgomery County 4-H Hall of Fame.
Hansen and his wife moved to Red Oak in 1985 and he was instrumental in installing lights in the fairgrounds parking lot.
“When this man lived in Red Oak, he was heavily involved in the fair board and if you needed anything, you could ask this man and it would get done,” Fair Board President Brian LeRette said.
Confer served as Fair Board president the previous three years, and LeRette said his help has been invaluable not only to the fair in general, but to him personally.
“This guy has helped out more than I can tell you,” LeRette said. “He’s always there. He’s a real workhorse.”
Carol Sparr, a longtime fair volunteer, was recognized as Montgomery County’s representative for induction into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame Award. Along with other inductees, Sparr will be honored at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.
Vincent Breedlove, a finalist in the Service Above Self Award, was recognized as the John Hossle scholarship recipient.
Along with 4-H shows of a variety of animals, crowds also enjoyed ATV and motorcycle races Thursday night, a free bull-riding competition Friday night and a Demolition Derby Saturday night.
There was a kids’ zone with inflatables and carnival games in lieu of a carnival.
Stampede, a band from Indpendence, performed Friday night for a crowd.
“I think everything went great,” LeRette said. “[We had] a great crowd, livestock shows and kids’ performances.”
LeRette mentioned “we had a couple of hot days,” but felt the attendance was large overall. He said the night events in particular were well attended.
The fair board president said he mostly did behind-the-scenes stuff, but said, “seeing the livestock and the kids is worth it.”
LeRette said the fair is about the talented youth in Montgomery County.
“What talent we have in our youth,” he said. “Let’s notice and recognize that.”
According to Jim Robinson at Houghton State Bank, $112,590 was raised to go to 4-Hers.