2012 Linn County Fair

2 WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2012, ALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD, CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES

BY ALEX PAULALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD

Children ages 12 andunder will be admitted freeevery day at the LinnCounty Fair, which runsThursday through Sunday,July 19-22, according to JoeCalderon, fair board presi-dent.

“We want to see lots offamilies every day of thefair,” Calderon said, addingthat adult admission is just$7, or $5 for seniors.

Admission has not beenraised in several years,Calderon said.

Plus, three of the fourdays will offer free admis-sion to special groups. Se-niors ages 60 and up willget in free all day Thursday,July 19, and anyone else canget in free until 3 p.m. Fri-day, July 20, is Family Daywith free admission for alluntil 3 p.m., on Sunday,July 22, active military per-sonnel with valid ID will beadmitted free all day.

This year’s theme is“Country Pride, CountyWide.”

Calderon said he hopes tosee more than 35,000 peo-ple at this year’s fair, upfrom 27,000 last year.

“We’ve added regionalmusic acts on the mainstage much of the day,”

Calderon. “And I think wehave outstanding enter-tainment every night.”

The main stage will cometo life at 8:30 p.m. Thurs-day, Friday and Saturday.

Legendary rock groupThree Dog Night will kickoff the main stage enter-tainment Thursday withhits including “Joy to theWorld.”

Former policeman EddieMoney is Friday night’sheadliner, with hits like“Baby Hold On,” and “TwoTickets to Paradise.”

Mid-valley favoriteSawyer Brown takes thestage on Saturday with“Some Girls Do,” “The DirtRoad” and “Hard to Say.”

Calderon said the twoperformances of theKnights of the Realm onSunday may be last the fairsees for a while.

“They have become in-ternationally popular andgetting open dates is gettingtough,” Calderon said. “Inever realized how muchtheir act is enjoyed by youngpeople until last year.”

Expo Center marketingmanager Jan Taylor saidthe Union County RodeoCourt is going to help withthe annual bull bash andwild and wooly events inthe arena on Friday and

Saturday nights.“There will also be mut-

ton bustin’ and a stick horserodeo for kids,” Taylor said.

Taylor said more than100 contestants have regis-tered for barrel racing at6:30 p.m. Thursday in thearena.

Taylor said there will bequalifying heats before themain event.

Another popular groupcoming to the fair will bethe Oregon Dairy Women’sice cream red barn.

“This is going to be verypopular,” Taylor said. “It

will be in the food vendorarea.”

Every day is also packedwith a variety of 4H andFFA contests and specialevents culminating with theannual 4H/FFA auction at 3p.m. Saturday, followed bya barbecue at 6 p.m.

Fair funkicks offThursday

MARK YLEN/DEMOCRAT-HERALD

A Davis Amusement employee scrubs a ride as the company sets up for last year’s Linn County Fair. The 2012 event starts Thursday.

IF YOU GOWhat: 2012 Linn

County Fair.When: 11 a.m. to 11

p.m. Thursday, July 19,through Saturday, July21; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.Sunday, July 22.

Where: Linn CountyFair & Expo Center, 3700Knox Butte Road,Albany.

Admission: $7 gener-al admission, $5 seniors,children 12 and underfree. Reduced-rate sea-son passes are available.

Specials: Thursday isSenior Day, with seniorsgetting in free all day andeveryone else free until 3p.m. Friday is FamilyDay, with free admissionfor all until 3 p.m. OnSunday, active militarypersonnel with valid IDwill be admitted free.

Parking: $4 daily or$12 for the season.

Carnival: All-day wrist-bands are priced at $25;individual tickets are$3.50.

Info: www.linncountyfair.com.

During the 2011 fair, Kailey Strange, 9, races Landon McClearn, 6, both of Albany, in the tractor pull.

This year’s theme is ‘Country Pride,

County Wide’

Thursday, July 19

9 a.m.: 4-H/FFA, Sheep Barn9 a.m.: 4-H/FFA Rabbit/Cavy

Showmanship, SantiamNoon: 4-H/FFA Dairy Cattle,

BarnNoon: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand12:30 p.m.: Adam the Great,

FamilyLand1 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Poultry

Showmanship, Santiam1 p.m.: Marty Davis, MainStage1 p.m.: Pedal Tractors,

FamilyLand1:30 p.m.: Racing Pigs,

FamilyLand2 p.m.: Senior Ice Cream Social,

VIP2 p.m.: Cascade Performing Arts,

Expo2 p.m.: Brady Goss, FamilyLand3 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Beef, Barn3 p.m.: Brady Goss, MainStage3 p.m.: Pedal Tractors,

FamilyLand3:30 p.m.: Marty Davis,

FamilyLand4 p.m.: The Catillacs, MainStage4 p.m.: Adam the Great,

FamilyLand4:30 p.m.: 4-H Favorite Foods

Contest, Expo4:30 p.m.: Racing Pigs,

FamilyLand5 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Swine, Barn

5 p.m.: Marty Davis, MainStage5 p.m.: Brady Goss, Expo5 p.m.: Pedal Tactors,

FamilyLand6 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Sheep

Showmanship, Barn6 p.m.: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand6:30 p.m.: Barrel Racing, Arena6:30 p.m.: Fate 55, MainStage8:30 p.m.: Three Dog Night,

MainStage

Friday, July 20

9 a.m.: 4-H/FFA Dairy, PygmyGoats, Barn

9 a.m.: 4-H/FFA Cavy/Rabbits,Santiam

10:30 a.m.: 4-H/FFA LivestockJudging Contest, Barn

Noon: 4-H/FFA DairyShowmanship, Barn

Noon: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand12:30 p.m.: Alex Zerbe,

FamilyLand1 p.m.: Milk Chug-a-Lug Contest,

Barn1 p.m.: Tristan Nichols,

MainStage1 p.m.: Adam the Great,

FamilyLand1:30 p.m.: Pedal Tractors,

FamilyLand2 p.m.: Rock ‘N Roll Cowboys,

MainStage2 p.m.: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand

2:30 p.m.: Open Dairy Cattle,Barn

2:30 p.m.: Alex Zerbe,FamilyLand

3 p.m.: 4-H/FFA BeefShowmanship, Barn

3 p.m.: Mind Spool, MainStage3 p.m.: Adam the Great,

FamilyLand3 p.m.: Tristan Nichols, Expo3:30 p.m.: Pedal Tractors,

FamilyLand4 p.m.: 4-H Swine Showmanship,

Barn4 p.m.: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand4:30 p.m.: Brady Goss,

MainStage4:30 p.m.: Alex Zerbe,

FamilyLand5 p.m.: Adam the Great,


FamilyLand6 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Pack Goats,

Barn6 p.m.: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand6:30 p.m.: Bull Bash, Arena6:30 p.m.: Vicki Stephens Band,

MainStage8:30 p.m.: Eddie Money,

MainStage

Saturday, July 21

8 a.m.: Open Class Goats, Barn9 a.m.: Open Beef Barn, Barn

10 a.m.: 4-H/FFA Small AnimalMaster Showmanship, Santiam

11 a.m.: Open Sheep, BarnNoon: Brady Goss, ExpoNoon: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand12:30 p.m.: Alex Zerbe,

FamilyLand1 p.m.: Car Show in the Park,

Timber-Linn Park1 p.m.: Adam the Great,


FamilyLand2 p.m.: 4-H Animal Costume

Contest, Barn2 p.m.: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand2:30 p.m.: Pre-4-H Small Animal

Showmanship, Santiam2:30 p.m.: Alex Zerbe,

FamilyLand3 p.m.: Annual 4-H/FFA Market

Livestock Auction, Barn3 p.m.: Cascade Rye, MainStage3 p.m.: Adam the Great,

FamilyLand3:30 p.m.: Marty Davis, Expo3:30 p.m.: Pedal Tractors,

FamilyLand4 p.m.: Brady Goss, MainStage4 p.m.: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand4:30 p.m.: Alex Zerbe,

FamilyLand5 p.m.: Marty Davis, MainStage5 p.m.: Adam the Great,

FamilyLand

5:30 p.m.: Pedal Tractors,FamilyLand

6 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Auction Buyer’sBarbecue, Santiam

6 p.m.: Wild ‘N Wooly, Arena6 p.m.: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand6:30 p.m.: Jackson Michelson,

MainStage8:30 p.m.: Sawyer Brown,

MainStage

Sunday, July 22

8:30 a.m.: 4-H/FFA MasterShowmanship, Arena

followed by Tug-of-War contestfollowed by 4-H/FFA Awards

Ceremony9 a.m.: Open Class Rabbits,

Santiam11 a.m.: Open Class Cavies,

SantiamNoon: Country Showdown,

MainStageNoon: Racing Pigs, FamilyLandNoon: Alex Zerbe, Expo12:30 p.m.: Adam the Great,

FamilyLand1 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Small Animal

Awards Ceremony, Santiam1 p.m.: Pedal Tractors

FamilyLand1:30 p.m.: Knights of the Realm,

Arena1:30 p.m.: Mom Newman’s Apple

Pie, Expo1:30 p.m.: Racing Pigs,

FamilyLand2 p.m.: Alex Zerbe, FamilyLand2 p.m.: Adam the Great, Expo2:30 p.m.: Pedal Tractors,

FamilyLand3 p.m.: Bush Pilots, MainStage3 p.m.: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand3:30 p.m.: 4-H Statics Awards

Ceremony, Expo3:30 p.m.: Adam the Great,

FamilyLand4 p.m.: Knights of the Realm,

Arena4 p.m.: Alex Zerbe, FamilyLand4:30 p.m.: Patricia Kline,

MainStage4:30 p.m.: Pedal Tractors,

FamilyLand5 p.m.: Racing Pigs, FamilyLand

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ALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD, CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES, WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2012 3

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Schedule of events

BY JENNIFER MOODYALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD

Visitors to the 2012 Linn County Fair maybe coming specifically to sing “Joy to theWorld” with Three Dog Night, “Take MeHome Tonight” with Eddie Money or“Some Girls Do” with Sawyer Brown.

But organizers are hoping they’ll alsoenjoy seeing familiar faces on the mainstage, in addition to the headliners.

Joe Calderon, chairman of the LinnCounty Fair Board, said this year’s fairmade it a point to seek out regional talentto provide a soundtrack for daily fair activ-ities. It’s all part of bringing people backhome to the fair — and every show, even theheadliners, is free with fair admission.

“One of the things I’ve noticed over theyears is, during the days there are things todo, but it’s missing some entertainment,some sound,” Calderon said. “In my re-search at other fairs, I see a lot have regionalacts playing throughout the day, everyday. So I presented the idea and it was over-whelmingly accepted.”

Bands and soloists from Albany,Lebanon, Sweet Home, Corvallis and Salemcan be found on the schedule, along withfolks with slightly looser mid-valley ties.

Patricia “Patsy” Cline — and yes, that’sreally her name — is among the hometownfavorites. She’ll be taking the main stage at4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Cline, who married into the surname sheshares with the famous country singer,taught school for 42 years, 20 of them inLebanon and 13 for the Linn-Benton-LincolnEducation Service District. She sang inchurch choirs all her adult life, currentlywith Albany First Assembly of God. In1996, she started singing jazz standardswith her friend Richard Applegate, knownas “Dick Blake” in jazz circles.

She gave a two-hour performance ofPatsy Cline’s country music with Applegatein the late 1990s in Corvallis, completewith a country band and a doo-wop group.For that performance, Applegate lined upher current lead guitarist, Jess Johnson ofSalem, along with Neal Grandstaff of Eu-gene on bass and Mike Doran on the drums.

Cline re-established connections withJohnson following Applegate’s death lastyear. He’s recruited other musicians from

the Salem area, including Roger Webster onbass and Randy Hill on drums.

Joining Cline on stage will be her 8-year-old granddaughter, Alexis Stinnett, whoalso will perform several songs on her own.

Cline has high praise for Calderon’slocal-talent plan.

“I think that is absolutely wonderful, be-cause there are a lot of people who play insmall venues and don’t get an opportunityto be showcased so a larger audience cansee them,” she said. “I just am honored thathe even asked me to do this. It will be an ex-perience of a lifetime.”

Vicki Stevens, who takes the main stageFriday just before headliner Eddie Money, isa former mid-valley resident. She grew up inLas Vegas and moved two years ago to Kent,Wash., but between 2004 and 2010 she livedin Junction City, Eugene and then Albany.

“I grew up learning about the four sea-sons, but I didn’t experience them till Imoved here,” she quipped. “Las Vegas hastwo: hot and cold.”

The Vicki Stevens Band has been togethersince 2008, playing a mix of rock, blues and

a little country, sometimes with a side offunk. Stevens said she’s looking forward tobeing back in the valley, and applaudedCalderon for seeking out local entertainers.

“Support the local fairs and the localmusic. There’s people working hard tobring this stuff to town,” she said. “Home-grown everything!”

Local talent will sharelimelight with big acts


IF YOU GOAll shows are free with fair admission.

Reserved seating for headliner acts is$15. The schedule:

THURSDAY, JULY 19

Marty Davis, Medford, country-western,1, 3:30 and 5 p.m., main stage.

Brady Goss, Wallowa, piano, pop andtraditional crooners, 2 p.m. Family Land,3 p.m., main stage, and 5 p.m., expo.

The Catillacs, LaCenter, Wash., ’50sand ’60s rock, 4 p.m., main stage.

Fate 55, Corvallis, classic rock, 6:30p.m., main stage.

Headliner: Three Dog Night, 8:30 p.m.,main stage.

FRIDAY, JULY 20

Tristan Nichols, Sweet Home, country,1 p.m., main stage, and 3 p.m., expo.

Rock ’n’ Roll Cowboys, Salem, coun-try, 2 p.m., main stage.

Mind Spool, Lebanon, blues, 3 p.m.,main stage.

Brady Goss, Wallowa, piano, pop andtraditional crooners, 4:30 p.m., main stage.

Vicki Stevens Band, Kent, Wash.,6:30 p.m., main stage.

Headliner: Eddie Money, 8:30 p.m.,main stage.

SATURDAY, JULY 21

Brady Goss, Wallowa, piano, pop andtraditional crooners, noon, expo, and 4p.m., main stage.

Cascade Rye, Albany, country, 3 p.m.,main stage.

Marty Davis, Medford, country-western,3:30 p.m., expo, and 5 p.m., main stage.

Jackson Michelson, Albany, country,6:30 p.m., main stage.

Headliner: Sawyer Brown, 8:30 p.m.,main stage.

SUNDAY, JULY 22

Bush Pilots, Albany, bluegrass, 3 p.m.,main stage.

Patricia Cline, Albany, country, 4:30 p.m.main stage.

SAW

EDDIE MONEY

The headline acts of the 2012 Linn County Fair are Sawyercrowd Friday; and Three Dog Night, whose Thursday show

PROVIDED PHOTO

The mid-valley’s own Patricia “Patsy” Cline willtake the stage Sunday afternoon.

BY KYLE ODEGARDALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD

The Linn County Fair as always willfeature exciting rides, carnival games,food-on-a-stick, great music and farmanimals — plus a few creatures of a dif-ferent stripe, so to speak.

A Walk on the Wild Side, a Canby-based exotic animal rescue facility, isbringing a tiger this year, as well as ablack leopard, a lion and other big cats.

Fair attendees can see the animals forfree.

“I think the tiger will be the big draw,”said Steve Higgs, executive director ofthe nonprofit.

“Most of our cats, they are as inter-ested in the public as the public is withthem,” he added.

The big cats and many other animalswill be in enclosures that are made up ofa high-quality cyclone-fence-style bar-rier, Higgs said.

For $10, people can pet and get theirpicture taken with a 6-week-old lion cub.

Higgs said A Walk on the Wild Sidegoes to about 10 fairs a year from Maythrough October. The goal is to educatepeople about how many animals aredisappearing due to habitat loss, poach-ing and other factors.

“We are really pushing conservation,”Higgs said.

A Walk on the Wild Side steps in tohelp when an owner of an exotic animalcan no longer care for that creature.

“We have quite a few reptiles that havebeen brought from the Albany area,”Higgs said.

One of the star reptiles at the fair thisyear will be a 200-pound tortoise that isprobably 85 years old.

“It takes two or three guys to movehim,” Higgs laughed.

Among the other critters will be ser-vals, a bobcat, a coatimundi (a type ofSouth American raccoon with a longnose), and an African crested porcupine.

For more information, go towww.wildsideoregon.org.


Walk on the WildSide will featureseveral big cats

PROVIDED PHOTO

Steve Higgs, director of the nonprofit A Walk on the Wild Side, thinks the tiger will be the bigdraw of the animals the group is bringing to this year’s fair.

TEXACOCOUNTRY

SHOWDOWNBands and soloists hop-

ing to make it big inNashville will competeSunday at the Linn CountyFair in the 2012 TexacoCountry Showdown.

Radio station KRKT 99.9FM plays host to the show,which takes the main stageat 11 a.m. The winninggroup will perform Aug. 5at the Oregon Jamboree inSweet Home and will alsoshow its stuff at the statefinals, to be held Sept. 28at the Mill Casino in CoosBay.

State winners go on toregional competition, andwinners from there moveup to nationals in Nashville,where a $100,000 cashprize is at stake.

Tickets to the showdownare free with fair admis-sion. KRKT will give awaya pair of tickets to theSunday shows at theOregon Jamboree. Anenter-to-win site will be onhand.

KRKT held one round ofauditions on June 8 andthe semifinals were thispast Sunday. Fifteen of the20 competitors performingthere will move up to theLinn County Fair.

At the fair, each finalistwill perform two songs forthe judges and will begraded on marketability incountry music, vocal ability,originality of performance,stage presence and talent.

THE 2012 CONTESTANTS:

The J Swift Band (JohnSwift, Joel Swift, JaredSwift, Justin Swift andMichael McDonald)

Levi DoverJessie EasdaleCody ChasteenThe James Girls (Sophia

and Sabrina James)Alyona O’HaraNadara ChesshirMindi ClarkKatie SatakSamantha PerezTrevor TagleNima HoweBailey HeideMatthew RyanJeri James

WYER BROWN

THREE DOG NIGHT

PROVIDED PHOTOS

r Brown, taking the stage Saturday night; Eddie Money, who will rock theis in conjuction with the city of Albany’s River Rhythms concert series.

These fast-pacedporkers are backfor the secondyear in a row

BY STEVE LATHROPALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD

Bart Noll learned back in1987 that for a pig, a choco-late chip cookie can offerincredible incentive.

Today he’s still bribinghis pint-sized porkers withthe sweet treats and provid-ing family entertainmentacross the West Coast atthe same time. The Nollfamily travel to fairs, rodeosand other events showingoff his favorite animal.

His Alaskan Racing Pigswill display their athleticprowess and their smartsat the 2012 Linn CountyFair for the second straightyear. The speedy piglets willbe in action for four showsevery day.

“They’re a crowd-pleaser,” says Noll, whobegan racing his young pigsbecause he thought it wouldbe fun and bring in a littlemoney. “And they love thechocolate chip cookies.”

It’s become a family busi-ness, with his wife and eachof his five children pitchingin at one time or anotherover the last 25 years.

“I was from amushing fam-ily,” Noll said.“Sled dogswere all I knewbut I startedhanging outwith farmersafter collegeand they kepttelling me howsmart pigs were.”

Noll found out the farmerswere right. He began train-ing pigs to run through theshort oval- and horseshoe-shaped tracks and they tookto it right away. He had thepigs, only 6 weeks old at the

time, running the coursesby the end of the first day.

“It took my adult dog 10days to learn to do the samethings,” he said. “I’ve beenworking with pigs ever since.”

The racers are all wellunder a year old and learned

quickly that per-forming well meanta chocolate chipcookie. The treatsare handed out for agood performanceand Noll said thepigs learned toform racing strate-gies to do well andget more treats.

Noll’s pigs come mostlyfrom Oregon farmers. Hemoved from his native Fair-banks to Washington andthen eventually to Eugene,where he is now based.

“A typical racing career isfar less than a year,” he said.

“Then we turn them backover to their owners.”

Races cover a short 100-to 125-foot course, that attimes includes hurdles, andpigs can rip through it ac-celerating to 15 mph from astanding start. The pigsrepresent a variety ofbreeds, according to Noll.

The Linn County stop isone of 23 scheduled for theAlaskan Racing Pigs thisyear. He typically brings atleast eight pigs to each per-formance and a minimum offour compete in each race.

There are up to four racesin each performance plus abonus competition for kids4 to 12 who can sign upprior to each performanceto battle in a Peddle Pullerscompetition. Riding modi-fied peddle tractors, thekids pull weighted sledsover a short course.


Racing pigs quick to return

PROVIDED PHOTO

Bart Noll’s Alaskan Racing Pigs are back for the 2012 Linn County Fair & Expo, with several performances scheduled daily.

RAM RODEOThe Ram Truck brand

and the 2012 RamRodeo Series will makea pit stop at CalapooiaArena from July 19through July 21, begin-ning at 6:30 each night.

Thursday night will bebarrel racing, Fridaynight will be bull ridingand Saturday night willbe a kids’ rodeo.

Rodeo fans are invitedto come down and sad-dle up with the cowboysto enjoy the legendarysport of rodeo and checkout the newest Rampickup trucks.

Representatives fromMark Thomas Motors willbe on site with 12 of thelatest Ram vehicles ondisplay. All guests whovisit the Ram Rodeo trail-er or tent will be eligibleto enter the Ram RodeoSweepstakes, a nationalgiveaway for a chance towin $45,000 toward anyeligible Chrysler Groupvehicle. To enter thenational giveaway, youmust be 18 or older andhave a valid driver’slicense.

For more informationon the Ram RodeoSeries, visitwww.RamRodeo.com.

Pigs aren’t known for being picky eaters, but Noll has found these little guys to be especially moti-vated by chocolate chip cookies. They learned to run the course in just a day, much quicker than hisadult dog. “I’ve been working with pigs ever since,” he said.

‘They’re a

crowd-pleaser.

And they love

chocolate chip

cookies.’

BART NOLL

BY ALEX PAULALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD

SCIO — Kellsie Tharphasn’t tallied up everypenny she and her father,Grimm, spent restoring herbright red and gray 1956Ford 800 tractor, but shecan tell you how manyhours it took.

“At least 500,” the 16-year-old incoming ScioHigh School junior said.“And most of that wasspent wire brushing parts.”

Her dad — a mechanic atGardner Trucking — paid$1,200 for it at an auction inNovember.

“But it didn’t look likethis. It was in rough condi-tion,” Kellsie said. “It wasrusted and beaten up. Therewere dents and holes in it. Itwas in pretty bad shape.”

The tractor had beenturned on its side at onepoint.

But Kellsie saw the heap’spotential and talked her dadinto turning it into her sen-ior project.

The restored antiquetractor will be one of manyon display throughout the2012 Linn County Fair.

The Tharps live on about13 acres south of Scio. Thefamily enjoys showinghorses and put up severaltons of hay each summer.They own several tractors,but this is the first one theyrebuilt from the ground up.

The tractor went into thefamily garage and partsstarted flying off.

Although its 4-cylinderengine started, it ran poorlyand when the key wasturned off, “it went boom”Kellsie said of its bad ex-haust backfire.

Tracking down parts tooka lot of time, Kellsie said.The tractor’s fenders wereso badly decomposed theyhad to be replaced.

Kellsie’s mom, Lorrie,said that for several months,the daily mail delivery couldrange from a letter to a hugepackage of parts.

Kellsie said wire brushingpieces “was fun for a littlewhile,” but that quicklywore off.

Although restored tonearly original condition, the

Tharps made some modifi-cations for comfort such as apadded seat instead of all-metal unit. They also movedthe exhaust pipe from releas-ing below the tractor to onethat goes above the hood toprevent hay field fires.

Once the mechanicalshad been rebuilt and oldpaint removed down to

sheet metal, it was time forKellsie to pick up a paintgun and put some colorback on her tractor.

She had never operated aprofessional-grade paintsprayer before, but the fin-ished gray and red paint isbright and shiny with noruns.

“The original gray paint

had a tint of green andbrown and I didn’t like that,”Kellsie said. “It looked dirtyto me, so we painted it alighter shade of gray.”

The project was com-pleted in time for the trac-tor show at the annual ScioLamb and Wool Fair.

“We were putting the lastbits of touch-up paint on itthe night before the show,”Kellsie said.

Kellsie is excited aboutthe upcoming Linn CountyFair tractor show.

“We waited several weeksafter painting and we havenow waxed it,” Kellsie said.

The most fun, though, isdriving the nearly 60-year-old tractor.

“It’s not like today’s trac-tors,” Kellsie said. “You haveto turn the key and thenpush a button to start it.”

A new Ford 800 costabout $2,200 in 1956 andhad 40 horsepower. Kellsiebelieves it’s worth about$8,000 today.

She believes she is theonly member of her class torestore a tractor as a seniorproject, although the FFA isrestoring one as a group.

At school, Kellsie is amember of the volleyballand track teams, and of theClever Clovers 4-H club.After high school she wouldlike to attend the Art Insti-tute of Portland to learnabout design.

“I know how to bakecakes. I want to learn how todesign them,” Kellsie said.


DAVID PATTON/DEMOCRAT-HERALD

Kellsie Tharp, 16, of Scio restored this 1956 Ford 800 tractor with help from her father, Grimm, a mechanic at Gardner Trucking.

Scio girl, 16,restores tractorKellsie Tharp’s 1956 Ford 800 will be

on display throughout the Linn County Fair

The frontemblem ofKellsie’srestoredtractor.

BY CATHY INGALLSALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD

4-Hers taking part in this year’s LinnCounty Fair can dress up their animals for acostume contest, enter large animal show-manship competitions and chug down car-tons of milk in an event sponsored by theOregon Dairy Wives.

Robin Galloway, the Oregon State Univer-sity Extension Linn County 4-H agent, saidshe is particularly looking forward to the an-imal dress-up.

“It’s fun to see the creativity of the kidsand see how patient the animals are whenwearing their strange outfits,” she said.“Half of the fun is seeing the expressions onthe animals as they try to get used to theirfunny skirts or having something wrappedaround their middles.”

It’s always interesting, Galloway said,when the kids dress in costumes similar totheir animals.

She particularly remembers after 9/11when many of the kids donned firefightergear and put their dogs in rescue attirecomplete with booties on their feet.

Any 4-H member can enter the costumecontest with any type of animal or bird.

Staff will take photographs of the cos-tumes throughout the running of the fair.They will be posted at the 4-H office, whichis in a trailer parked between the horse andlivestock barns. There will be a ballot box atthe office so fairgoers can vote for their fa-vorite costume duo.

Categories include best use of this year’s

theme, “Country Pride County Wide;” mostcreative; best coordination of a person andan animal; and the peoples’ choice.

Awards will be presented Sunday morn-ing.

Each entrant in the large animal mastershowmanship class must show a variety ofcritters, such as sheep, a dairy cow, a horseand a pygmy goat. “All of them show differ-ently,” Galloway said.

The competition requires entrants to re-main poised and demonstrate how muchthey know about an animal “such as howmuch a dairy cow drinks in a day,” she said.

That competition takes place Sundaymorning.

There also is a small animal master show-manship contest that includes poultry, rab-bits and cavies. The challenge there is tokeep the animals on the exhibit table and notlet them jump off, Galloway said.

That competition is Saturday morning.The Milk Chug A Lug contest is at 1 p.m.

Friday. 4-H clubs will enter as teams. Mem-bers have to run from one place to another inthe dairy and beef ring and then down a car-ton of milk.

“They get it all over themselves and allover the ground. It’s fun,” she said.

This year’s 4-H photography contest isgoing to have a record number of entries,Galloway said. That’s because so many kidsthese days have digital cameras.

Also on tap are horse events, and thelivestock auction, which starts at 3 p.m. Sat-urday.

Wednesday, July 18

7:45 a.m.: 4-H/FFALivestock ExhibitorsMeeting, swine ring

7:45 a.m.: 4-H/FFAHorse – Mickey ZuckerAward Meeting

8:30 a.m.: Small AnimalParticipants Meeting

8:30 a.m.: 4-H/FFAHorse — Judges meeting(Dressage Riders bringbits)

9 a.m.: 4-H/FFA MarketSheep classes, sheepring

9 a.m.: 4-H/FFA MarketRabbit classes

9:30 a.m.: 4-H/FFAMarket Poultry

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:4-H/FFA Horse — EnglishEquitation

10 a.m.: 4-H/FFAPoultry breeds, SantiamBuilding

12:30 p.m.: 4-H/FFAHorse – Fun Games

1 to 3:30 p.m.: 4-H/FFAHorse — Dressage

2 p.m.: 4-H HoneyBunny Quiz, Rabbit andCavy ID, SantiamBuilding

2 p.m.: 4-H Cat classes2 p.m.: 4-H Cavy Quiz

contest, Santiam Building2 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Meat

Goat Showmanship, goatring, followed by

4-H/FFA Market Goatclasses, goat ring, fol-lowed by

4-H/FFA Meat Doeclasses, goat ring

3 to 5 p.m.: All 4-HHorticulture entries inplace; judging follows

4 p.m.: 4-H/FFA HorseGrand Entry, CalapooiaArena

4 p.m.: 4-H FarmOlympics Event

5 to 6 p.m.: 4-H/FFAHorse Awards Ceremony

5 p.m.: 4-H/FFA SwineMarket classes, swinering

7 p.m.: 4-H/FFA BeefMarket classes, beef/dairyring

8 to 11 p.m.: 4-H/FFAYouth Dance, CalapooiaArena

Thursday, July 19

7 a.m.: 4-H/FFA Horse— Gaming Horses inplace

7 to 7:30 a.m.: 4-H/FFA

Horse – GamingShowmanship (one timegaming horses)


8 a.m. to 3 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Horse – Gaming(poles, key race, flags,figure 8, barrel)

9 a.m.: 4-H/FFA Sheepbreeds, sheep ring

9 a.m.: 4-H/FFARabbit/CavyShowmanship, SantiamBuilding

2 p.m.: 4-H/FFA DairyCattle Breed classes,beef/dairy ring

1 p.m.: 4-H/FFA PoultryShowmanship

3 p.m.: All 4-H/FFAHorses released (exceptMaster ShowmanshipHorses)

3 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Beefbreeds, beef/dairy ring

4:30 p.m.: 4-H FarmOlympics Event

4:30 to 7 p.m.: 4-HFavorite Foods Contest,static area in WillametteEvents Center)

5 p.m.: 4-H/FFA SwineBreeds, swine ring

6 p.m.: 4-H/FFA SheepShowmanship, sheep/goatring

Friday, July 20


9 a.m.: 4-H/FFA Dairy,Pygmy GoatShowmanship, goat ring,followed by

4-H/FFA Dairy, PygmyGoat Breed classes, goatring

9 a.m.: 4-H/FFACavy/Rabbit Breed class-es, Santiam Building

10:30 a.m.: 4-H/FFALivestock Judging Contest(beef, dairy, sheep, swine)

Noon: 4-H/FFA DairyShowmanship, beef/dairyring, with open DairyBreeds following

1 p.m.: Milk Chug-a-LugContest

2 p.m.: 4-H PoultryQuizzes – Quill Quiz andFeather Facts

2 p.m.: 4-H FarmOlympics Event

3 p.m.: 4-H/FFA BeefShowmanship, beef/dairyring

4 p.m.: 4-H SwineShowmanship all divi-sions, swine ring

6 p.m.: 4-H/FFA PackGoat Classes, goat ring

Saturday, July 21

7:45 a.m.: 4-H/FFAExhibitors Meeting, swinering

8 a.m.: Open ClassGoats, goat ring

9 a.m.: Open Beef,beef/dairy ring

9 a.m.: 4/H/FFABranding of MarketAuction animals (all youthselling market animalsneed to be near their mar-ket animal)

10 a.m.: 4-H/FFA SmallAnimal Master showman-ship, Santiam Building

11 a.m.: 4-H Interviewsfor Sara Adams and Starta Herd Awards

11 a.m.: Open Sheep,sheep ring

2 p.m.: 4-H FarmOlympics AnimalCostume Contest (barn-wide event)

2:30 p.m.: Pre-4-HSmall AnimalShowmanship (rabbit,cavy, poultry)

3 p.m.: Pocket Pets3 p.m.: Annual 4-H/FFA

Market Livestock Auction6 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Auction

Buyer’s Barbecue

Sunday, July 22

8 a.m.: 4-H/FFA LargeAnimal MasterShowmanship, partici-pants meet in theCalapooia Arena

8:30 a.m.: 4-H/FFALarge Animal MasterShowmanship begins, fol-lowed by

Tug-of-War contest, fol-lowed by

4-H/FFA AwardsCeremony (locations to beannounced)

1 p.m.: 4-H/FFA SmallAnimal Awards Ceremony,Santiam Building

5:30 p.m.: 4-H StaticsAwards Ceremony, ExpoBuilding

6 p.m.: 4-H/FFA non-market large animalsreleased

6 p.m.: 4-H/FFA non-market small animalsreleased


MARK YLEN/DEMOCRAT-HERALD

Zack Fergason of Scio rests his head on Ginger, a Jersey hereford, while Kalli Corrick of Albany nestlesagainst Plum at the 2011 Linn County Fair. This year’s fair will again feature the hard work of localyouth and the animals they’ve raised.

Costume contest to feature4-H members — and animals

4-H/FFA Fair schedule

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2012 Linn County Fair

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