One-stop spot for Rapid City fair
- Details
- Published on Saturday, June 27, 2015
By Sheila Runions
Banner Staff
Saturday, June 20 was the 135th annual Rapid City fair and this year participants and volunteers could stay in one place.
Past years have been split by Little Saskatchewan River with horses on the north side at the rodeo grounds and everything else on the south side, around the skating rink. Rapid City Ag Society rented the 10-acre rodeo grounds from Town of Rapid City for approximately 15 years but a couple years ago the society bought that land and has since been working to secure funding and complete the transition. The past three months were extremely busy for volunteers who put finishing touches on the show rings, a new cattle barn and exhibit building. The 16- by 100-foot bovine shelter is complete but a cement floor, shelves and peg board will be added to the 24- by 32-foot exhibit building by next year’s fair.
Rapid City Ag Society was able to accomplish all this work through generous support from: North American Lumber in Brandon which gave a discount on materials; Randy Barker of Melita who donated steel rod for the cattle barn; Sims & Co. of Minnedosa which provided all legal work for free; Town of Rapid City which did site preparation with its heavy equipment; RM of Oakview which gave $1,000 and a load of gravel; Rapid City and Area Lions Club, Gwen Northam and Brandon and Area Community Foundation which each donated $5,000; RM of Saskatchewan which donated $10,400, the proceeds they received from the dissolution of Daly-Saskatchewn Recreation Commission.
The exhibit building was packed with cut and potted flowers, plants, vegetables (spinach, rhubarb, asparagus, radish, lettuce, onion, shallot), sewing/quilting/knitting/crotcheting, schoolwork, baking, crafts, junior entries and 4-H member books. Leanne Goetz of Minnedosa received the most points in home manufacturing; Melanie Gloor of Brandon had the most junior points; Janet Fearnley of Rapid City collected the most senior points; Bernice Finlay of Rapid City had high points in sewing and in horticulture; Catherine Carter of Kenton won the Red River Ex best of show ribbon for her handmade quilt.
Livestock entries also receive high awards: champion pony was Mr. Smudge, owned by Eileen Eagle Bear of Minto; champion light horse was Red Solo Kat owned by Ken Grainger of Branodn; champion miniature horse was shown by Jessica Wright of Rapid City; the champion 50/50 horse was Pay a Buck for Fame owned by Sandy Donald of Brandon; the best beef animal on the grounds was owned by Everett More of Virden, who also claimed the champion female title; NYK Cattle Co. of Douglas showed the champion bull; Broken Oak Black Simmentals of Rapid City won the jackpot heifer class. Rapid City and District 4-H Club will supply results from its annual show at a later date; please watch for that report.
Rapid City’s volunteer fire department once again brought the South West Mutual Aid District fire education trailer to the fair. Children who toured the safety trailer received a pencil case with five or six school items, and were eligible to enter a draw for four prize packs; winners were the Boyd family, Jessica Bayes, Benjamin Anderson and Tristan Robertson. The department also sold tickets for a 50/50 draw; Darcy Robins won $160.
Another attraction at the fair was a mutt show and food. Rapid City Nursery School served breakfast to 225 people between 6:30 and 9 a.m.; their meal also featured a 24-prize penny raffle. United Church Women and some male ringers served burgers, dogs, pie and chips for dinner while a barbecued pork supper was served to 130 people by the rink board.
Rapid City Parent Group held its annual duck drop on fair day and once again, it was a sell out. When the 200 ducks were dropped into the river, the first to cross the finish line was one bought by Bonnie Lee Wright; she won $50.
The final noteworthy item of the day, which was attended by the CKLQ radio events van, was the morning parade in which prizes were awarded for floats and bicycles. Winning floats were entered by Rapid City and District 4-H Beef Club, Rapid City and Area Lions Club and Rapid City Nursery School; bike winners were Brooklyn Boyd who was a princess, Austin Woods who was Mickey Mouse and Ian Christie/Frank Hyndman who were the Strawberry Shortcakes Bike Gang.
