This post has been backdated to actual date of events...
Saturday was our last full day at the fair. After lunch at Trucks Place, we went to Mathewson Center to watch the pony pull - always a fun competition.
Mama and Liz
We still love Professor Farquar!
Jackson, Jonathan, Daddy, Zack
our last lunch at Trucks Place
this young man is going into 7th grade in the fall
bringing in his team
his team pulling the weight
he did a great job!
Saturday afternoon we were able to meet up with our friends Frank and Kitty who came over from Kansas City. What a treat! We met them at, you guessed it, Gerken Dairy Center. :) We sure enjoyed catching up with them over ice cream.
Frank, Kitty, Laura, Marvin
new warm up ring outside Mathewson Center
Jackson, Jonathan, and Zack had backstage passes to meet Raelynn and Cole Swindell before that evenings concert.
There is a funny story about the two photos below... :) And you really should hear the boys tell it, but I'll try to fill you in. Jackson, Jonathan, and Zack had already been backstage to meet Raelynn and were getting ready to meet Cole Swindell. Zack mentioned that maybe they should go in separately, but Jackson and Jonathan nixed that plan. Jackson decided, however, that he would move over to the side and let Jonathan and Zack be on either side of the star for this photo. So when the time came, Jonathan went first, then Jackson followed Jonathan and stood to his side. They expected Zack to be right behind them and stand on the other side of Cole Swindell. But nope! Zack held back! Thus the photo of Jonathan and Jackson with Cole where it appears that Jackson would rather stand by his brother than the star. :D :D :D My boys were actually worried that the photo would be of them looking off to the side incredulously as they realized Zack wasn't coming. Luckily, the photo worked out... except for the awkwardness. :) ha!
Then, to make the story even funnier/worse, when Zack got up to take his photo, Cole Swindell was chuckling a bit and said something about 'you were supposed to be with those other two guys, weren't you?'. :D :D :D :D ha!!!
Sidenote - this was the night that Zack almost lost his life. :D :D :D
Meanwhile we were at the second night of the draft horse hitch competition at Mathewson Center.
ride a draft bareback
youth driver cart class
I appreciated that the judge spoke to each youth individually
before turning in his judging card.
Unicorn hitch entering the arena
four horse hitch
state fair queen riding out with this four horse hitch team
Roby's 6 horse hitch - Belgians
Herschberger 6 horse hitch team
driver standing up. :)
look at all the reins in their hands - these drivers are talented!
10 six horse hitch teams again on Saturday night
This was a neat moment. Duane Herschberger, driver of the Hersch Belgians, won a special award for best driver. It was a surprise to him and was quite moving - and well deserved.
After the competition was over, the Herschberger hitch came back into the arena to do a driving demonstration. Very neat to watch.
these three telling us the story of the photo with Cole Swindell. :D
Sunday morning the boys went home in the morning - a bit ahead of the rest of us. Here the boys are saying goodbye to Grandpa.
We are almost packed up and ready to head for home. The end of another great fair.
Below is a video of snippets from the pony pull on Saturday afternoon.
And here are two videos from Saturday night at the draft horse hitches.
The first video is all the footage I took that night and is about 42 minutes long.
The 2nd video is only a few highlights of the evening and is under 7 minutes long.
