Brooke County Fair offered food, fun and learning | News, Sports, Jobs

DETERMINATION — Kaylee James, 4, of Follansbee, brought a lot of energy to the pedal tractor race at the Brooke County Fair. She was one of many young participants in the event, which was started by Grady Farris, 6, of Family Roots Farm, with help from his family and others. — Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — For the many people who attended the Brooke County Fair this weekend at Brooke Hills Park, there was plenty to see and do and plenty of opportunities to meet and learn about animals.

Four local farms came together to exhibit an alpaca, goose, pigs, goats, chickens and ducks in the fair’s agricultural area and to offer young participants a glimpse of farm life through various activities.

Among those products was a children’s pedal tractor launched by Grady Farris, son of Charlie and Britney Farris, who operate Family Roots Farm with Britney’s parents, Fred and Cathy Hervey.

Six-year-old Grady was attending the Ohio County Fair when he observed the tractor pedal contest, in which children pedal a toy tractor attached to a sled as far as they can go.

The event has been held at previous Brooke County Fairs, but not in recent years, so Grady raised more than $1,400 from sales of lollipops and other treats for toy tractors and materials to build the 30-foot-long track.

A WINNING COMBINATION — Melissa Border’s class at Brooke Intermediate South emerged victorious in a tug-of-war competition at the Brooke County Fairgrounds between third- and fourth-graders from the county’s two middle schools. The team included, from left, Hunter Phillips, Jack Barlow, Roselyn Sparks, Taylor Durbin, coach LuAnn DiRemigio, Katherine Farris, Border and Jameson Stevens. — Warren Scott

He also helped Fred and his uncle, David Hubbard, build it, while his 4-year-old sister, Mylah, painted it.

Grady said he worked with his grandfather and uncle after school and on weekends for several months and after seeing the completed track, he said, “I feel really good.”

“It was a family project that we all worked on at one point,” said Cathy, who noted that the sled was built by Russ Hervey — in memory of his grandfather, Bob Quattrocchi — to resemble a manure spreader used by farmers to fertilize their acreage.

The competition was one of many ways farmers tried to introduce fairgoers to farm life.

Tia Graham of Graham Acres also invited the youngsters to try showing one of the farm animals as is done at fairs with many competitions on the farm.

ANIMALS AND MORE — Jim Kamerer of Wild World of Animals of Eighty Four, Pa. shared information about a peregrine falcon and several other creatures Saturday at the Brooke County Fair. Through his presentation and the farm area featuring four local farms, fairgoers had the opportunity to meet and learn about a variety of animals. — Warren Scott

There was also a cock-crow contest in which youngsters were encouraged to do their best to imitate the farmyard fowl, including flapping their “wings” and scratching the ground with their feet.

Bonus points were awarded to those who elicited a vocal response from supporters at the scene.

Sharing some details about roosters, Graham noted that they can crow at any time, not just in the morning; they can live five to 10 years; and they are protective partners, making sure the hens eat before they do.

The agricultural area included the West Virginia Conservation Agency’s soil tunnel trailer.

From wall to ceiling, the trailer offered visitors a glimpse of the many living things, as well as pollutants, that affect soil and water quality, noted Victoria White, administrator of the Northern Panhandle Resource and Conservation District.

The regional agency organized the visit of the trailer as well as the sponsorship of one of the pedal tractors.

The agricultural area was supported by Hood’s Pharmacy, Traubert’s Pharmacy, Wheeling-Nippon Steel and Tractor Supply Co., the latter lending fencing for its display areas.

Among the many guests at the fair was Jim Kamerer of Wild World of Animals in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, who brought several exotic creatures, including a two-toed sloth, a three-banded armadillo, a New Zealand tortoise and a binturong.

Kamerer noted that the binturong is better known as the bear cat because it has a bear-like face and purrs like a cat, although it is not related to either animal. He added that it differs from either in its long tail, which it uses to cling to tree branches.

Kamerer also brought a legless lizard, which resembles a snake but has eyelids and ears, which snakes lack, and a tail that it can regenerate if lost.

His menagerie also included a peregrine falcon, which in flight is the fastest creature on the planet, reaching 370 kilometres per hour, and which also has some of the sharpest eyes on the planet, capable of seeing things a kilometre away, he said.

From monarch butterflies found in local butterfly breeder Heather Tokas’ tent to the Lucky E Rodeo horses and bulls that appeared Sunday, there were plenty of other creatures for fairgoers to see.

There were also rides, demonstrations by historical reenactors and other historical groups, as well as numerous competitions.

One of the highlights of each year’s fair is the tug-of-war tournament between third and fourth graders from Brooke County Middle Schools.

Four teams from Brooke Intermediate North (which will be renamed Jefferson Intermediate next year) and Brooke Intermediate South (which will become Franklin Intermediate at the same time) faced off in a series of fierce rounds.

Melissa Border’s class at Brooke Intermediate South emerged victorious. Coached by LuAnn DiRemigio, the team included Hunter Phillips, Jack Barlow, Roselyn Sparks, Taylor Durbin, Katherine Farris and Jameson Stevens.

A second tug-of-war competition involving second graders from Brooke Primary North and Brooke Primary South was won by Kelly Horvath’s class. Coached by Faith Magnone, they were: Keegan Thomas, Dominic Minor, Kason Cox, Caroline Campbell, Camdyn McClain, Shalyn Showalter and Landry Gilchrist.

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