Something for everyone

If you go to the McClain County Free Fair next week expecting to see pigs, rabbits, cattle, horses, goats, sheep and assorted chickens and other fowl, you won’t be disappointed.

Likewise, expect plenty of educational exhibits, baked goods, flowers, garden produce, hay and grains.

All these things are the backbone of county fairs everywhere.

It’s the special events, though, that breathe a heightened  level of anticipation, lending a unique excitement to the county fair experience.

These, friends, the 2021 McClain County Free Fair has in abundance and then some!

The 2021 edition of the fair officially began on Tuesday with two days devoted to the entering and judging of building exhibits. There was also a horse show on Wednesday.

Now brace yourself for two days of camaraderie-building special event competitions.

It will largely be about pies and cakes and salsas, oh my, for much of the day September 9.

That will start with pie and cake entries taken from 9 a.m. until noon, judging at 1 p.m., and an auction of the entries at 6 p.m. during the bean supper and ice cream social hosted by the Heart of Oklahoma Kiwanis Club and McClain Bank.

Classes for pies are apple, cherry, pecan, pumpkin, chocolate, coconut, custard or chess and other.

The class lineup for cakes includes specialty chocolate cake, specialty white or yellow cake, specialty fruit or spice cake, pound or bundt-style cake, other cakes, decorated cupcakes (ages 9 through 18), decorated cupcakes (adult), decorated cake (9 through 18), and decorated cake (adult).

But that’s not all. At 7 p.m., hang around for the McClain County Firefighter Challenge.

Firefighters will race the clock in such activities as barrel push, bucket brigade, donning their PPE (personal protective equipment) after spinning and hose roll bowling.

We’re not exactly clear what pushing barrels entails or how rolling hose can possibly be a form of bowling.

But we trust the two-member teams from each entered fire department do.

September 9 will also feature a new event – a tractor driving contest at 10:30 a.m.

Skill and ability will be on the line as entrants maneuver a tractor and grain drill through an obstacle course – the operative word being obstacle.

The Centennial Square Dance Club will perform at 5:15 p.m.

Sheep and market goat classes are openers for  the September 10 schedule at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., respectively.

After that it is one special event after another.

The Dutch oven cooking contest is back this year from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Teams of two or three Dutch oven cooks will prepare a main dish, side dish and dessert.

There are two age divisions – junior (17 and younger) and senior (18 and older). Overall, main dish, side dish and dessert awards will be presented through second place in each division.

A public taste testing will conclude the contest at 6 p.m.

Other special events include a dummy roping contest at 4 p.m., stick horse rodeo at 5 p.m., cornhole tournament at 5:30 p.m. and kiddie tractor pull at 6 p.m.

Ropers will be divided into four age brackets for the dummy roping contest. Those are 12 and younger, 13 through 15, 16 through 19 and in school and older than 19 and out of school.

The stick horse rodeo will be run in two age divisions – 3 and 4 year olds and 5 to 8 year olds.

Rodeo events include barrel racing, pig herding, horse racing, calf roping and egg race.

Speed in all events is the essence.

The kiddie tractor pull is for youngsters age 4 to 12 years.

The determining factor in the kiddie tractor pull will be pedal power. The contest is open to youngsters age 4 to 12.

Four age divisions will make up the cornhole tournament. Those are the same as the dummy roping contest.

The fair will conclude September 11 with swine, poultry, rabbit and cattle judging.

Fair superintendents this year are Johnny Roberts, fair manager; Laura Vandaveer, 4-H Building exhibits; Justin McDaniel, cattle; Jeff Evans and Drew Jervis, swine; Johnny Files, poultry; Melinda Tague, sheep; Brandon Morgan, market goat; Spence Bell, horse show; Tammy Elliott, rabbits; Kathy Langley, OHCE; Peggy Christian, open class, and Evans, livestock judging.