By MARIE MCCOLM
MONTE VISTA – The San Luis Valley Fair kicked off on Aug. 1 and culminated on Aug. 9 with a Junior Livestock Sale and barbecue at the Ski-Hi Complex in Monte Vista.
This year’s fair marked 122 years. Annually, about 350 youth participate in the event.
On Aug. 1 and 2, there was a horse show. On Aug. 3, breeding shows and hog showmanship shows took place. On Aug. 4, the Mike Kelley Memorial Barrow Show took place.
Kids and young adults could be seen all over the fairgrounds, tending to their animals, feeding them, brushing them, and leading them into the arenas to show their animals during the shows.
Many people also entered other competitions, aside from the animals, throughout the week that were held, including baking, cake making, cake decorating, photography, science experiments, and much more. Each person was also interviewed regarding their project, and they were judged and received ribbons and placement holders in the fair.
In preparation for the fair, many raised their own animals, or purchased animals. They invest a lot of time in the animals. The return on time and money invested comes back to when the animal is sold at the livestock sale.
This year’s fair also featured food trucks. Vendors were set up inside of the Outcalt Event and Conference at SLV Ski-Hi Complex.
There were some amazing cake entries this year, including a cake that was decorated to look like a skunk, a beautiful 3-tiered cake that had climbing vines all over it, a cake that was decorated to look like a happy bunny rabbit, a cake that looked like a beach, and a cake that was decorated to look like a beehive. Grand Champion for the cakes was Liam Griffin with his cut up cake that looked just like a skunk, and the reserve Grand Champion was Joslyn Mix with her cake that was decorated like a bunny rabbit.
Winners of the shows included Grand Champion SLV Fair Market Beef shown by Kaysen Johnson and Reserve Champion SLV Fair Market Beef shown by Trace Johnson; Grand Champion Market Sheep shown by Lane Mattive and Reserve Champion Market Sheep shown by Macklie Sims; Grand Champion Market Goat shown by Reese Anderson and Reserve Champion Market Goat shown by Jocelynn Malouff; and Grand Champion Market Swine shown by Aubrey Naranjo and Reserve Champion Market Swine shown by Makenzie Consaul.
On Friday, Aug. 9, during the livestock sale and barbecue, about 350 people were there. The Grand Champion Market Beef was purchased by Monte Vista Coop for $28,000.
For more information on the San Luis Valley Fair, visit their website at slvfair.com.
Junior Livestock Sale
Grand Champion Market Goat of Reese Anderson was sold for $6,000
Grand Champion Market Poultry Pen of Three of Grant Walker was sold for $750
Grand Champion Market Turkey of Maelyn Garcia was sold for $600
Grand Champion Market Waterfowl of Westlea Tipsword was sold for $450
Grand Champion Market Rabbit Meat Pen of Leah Sirochman sold for $600
Grand Champion Market Single Fryer Rabbit of Leah Sirochman was sold for $375
Grand Champion Market Swine of Aubrey Naranjo was sold for $7,000
Grand Champion Market Beef of Kaysen Johnson was old for $28,000
Grand Champion Market Sheep of Lane Mattive was sold for $4,000
Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat of Jocelynn Malouff was sold for $2,400
Reserve Grand Champion Market Rabbit Meat Pen of Leah Sirochman was sold for $350
Reserve Grand Champion Market Single Fryer Rabbit of Weston Sirochman was old for $375
Reserve Grand Champion Market Poultry Pen of Three of Alia Yund was sold for $475
Reserve Grand Champion Market Turkey of Westlea Tipsword was sold for $350
Reserve Grand Champion Market Waterfowl of Westlea Tipsword was sold for $300
Reserve Grand Champion Market Swine of Makenzie Consaul was sold for $10,000
Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef of Trace Johnson was sold for 16,500
Reserve Grand Champion Market Sheep of Macklie Sims was sold for $3,700
