Tuesday, August 13, 2013

A Day At The County Fair!

Several weeks ago we spent the day at the Cheyenne County Fair with Tressie and Gunner. It was a fun day but a very full and long day! Long like we were there from 11:00 am until 11:00 pm!

First up, the turtle races! This is a very big event at the Cheyenne County Fair! There were over 130 turtles entered this year! Each person can enter 2 turtles and almost all of these are entries from kids.

Tressie isn't real fond of turtles but we were able to get a picture. Don't know if this was "Mike" or "Sulley"!


Not to be outdone by his big sister, Gunner entered "Buzz" and "Woody"! He kinda likes turtles! He's a boy..... Well, none of their turtles placed but it is always worth entering as first prize is $50 cash! Papa and Tressie had 12 turtles in the horse trailer several weeks prior to the fair and would feed them melon rinds and other things all the while observing which ones were worthy of going to the races! There's always next year!


Next up.....the Kiddie Rodeo. This rodeo is for the younger kids and they compete using stick horses. Tressie and her Daddy and Papa set up a barrel course and tried to teach her the pattern several days before the fair. Well.....she kinda got it when she paid attention. Not to worry, the youngest of the kids were able to follow someone and complete their patterns. Papa was a good sport and helped her out. She ran the barrels and then did the flag race. I should mention that the course is much smaller than normal and they use plastic buckets for the barrels and poles. It was getting hot and Tressie had a blue snow cone on the brain. Halfway thru the poles she stopped and told Papa that her horse was tired! She was finished! Love it!


This is how Gunner enjoyed the Kiddie Rodeo! In his typical chilled out mode! Several more years and he will be entered!


After some lunch it was time for the carnival. A local church does an awesome job in running the carnival games and then for prizes they offer TONS of different school supplies! A great idea! Tressie was very into the games. She had quite the arm in knocking down the wooden pins and throwing the darts at balloons! She did the fishing pond, the ring toss and several other games. One of her favorites was the shooting booth! She loved it! Her Mom said that she looks like Annie Oakley in this picture!


After awhile she had a handful of tickets and it was time to shop the prizes! She had enough for this cute backpack, several folders, markers and several other things!


Then it was time for the carousel. Gunner, Tressie and Papa were the only ones riding at the time and got a pretty long ride. Gunner wasn't so sure he really liked it but he never cried!


By this time Gaga and Papa are getting tired but not Tressie! She had been wanting to do the big slide all day! She met up with a little friend from church and they had a blast on this. For awhile they were the only ones on it and the kid running the ride didn't even take their tickets for admission but just let them keep going again and again and again! They also rode in some kayaks and had a great time!


Tressie and Gunner with one of their favorite "girls" as Tressie calls them.....Lauren!


That evening Tony's Mom and Dad came and brought the team. There was a new event at the fair this year. It was a team driving competition. Each team pulled the same wagon thru an obstacle course. It was a timed event with penalty seconds added for knocking over different things, etc. Tony's Dad had already planned to enter and at the last minute, Tony entered. There were two different courses and Tony ended up getting third on the second course with "Tom" and "Whopper"!


It was a great day at the fair with our grandkids and we feel very blessed to be able to spend so much time with them and watch them grow and see the excitement of new things thru the eyes of a child!