WASHINGTONVILLE, Pa. — There is some construction at this year's Montour-Delong Community Fair. Crews are reconstructing a historic log cabin found two years ago in nearby Washingtonville. The log cabin will be a permanent fixture at the fairgrounds.
"Watch it as they come into the fair this year. It's supposed to be all up by Saturday," said Bill Miller, the fair president.
Before the rides and games opened for the day, the livestock competitions were well underway. These kids were being judged on how well they clipped their cows.
"I clipped her. I brushed her top line up to make the top of her stand up. I cleaned her ears," Taylor Fry explained.
When it comes to showing animals, it's not as easy as it looks. Gunner Vargeson started getting his sheep ready back in March.
"Start getting them halter broke and all that. Then you have to start bracing them, going longer walks with them. Then you have to start trimming them."
That's about the time Carrie Shuman of Bloomsburg started getting her cows ready too. She and her family have ten cows and are showing them Thursday.
"Right before fair week, you're trying to fine-tune their halter breaking skills, how well they're walking on them. Then you're introducing the show halter because that's made out of leather versus the rope halter."
During a week like this, it's important to keep the animals cool. Shuman and the others do that with fans and baths.
"If we don't have the automatic waters, kids are walking their animals on a schedule, so they are staying hydrated, keeping them exercised and that."
The Montour-Delong Community Fair runs through Saturday outside Washingtonville.
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