Good Fun at the 2025 Washington County Fair and Rodeo

The theme of this year’s Washington County Fair was “Livin’ on a Fair 2025.” The theme was on full display throughout the fair, from the exhibit hall to the animal barns to the parade.

Walking through the fair is always interesting and fun. No matter where you go, it seems like you always run into people you haven’t seen in a while. The fair has always been a great place to slow down and catch up for a bit. However, slowing down wasn’t something the kids were doing. Whether they were having water fights, eating snow cones, or enjoying those amazing dipped ice cream bars, the kids were making the most of the fair!

A special part of our fair has always been the exhibit hall, which showcases a wide variety of fun and interesting displays. There were beautiful bouquets of flowers, numerous varieties of plants, garden produce which included a very large squash, canned vegetables and fruits of all kinds, an array of quilts, handmade clothing items, works of art, a photography section, 4-H record books, and baking exhibits featuring many types of breads, cookies, and other baked goods, along with a multitude of other interesting items.

In one corner of the exhibit hall, there was a display for the Julie Kerner Memorial Award. Here, votes were taken for 4-H members nominated by each of the Washington County 4-H clubs. The display stated: “Julie Kerner was active in 4-H her entire life, both as a member and a 4-H leader. 4-H’ers who are nominated for this award exemplify the characteristics most prized by Julie Kerner – Attitude, Work Ethic, Determination, and Overall Character, as well as the six pillars of character – Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.” This year, the award went to Cassidy McDaniel of the Mann Creek 4-H Club, who was nominated in part due to her “unwavering dedication, compassionate leadership, and genuine kindness.”

The 4-H and FFA food booths are a great place to see kids learning and working. This is another valuable experience that enhances life skills. When I ordered a meal, I was impressed by the abilities of the young members helping in the booth. They were polite and task-oriented, taking orders and calculating costs. I asked one of the 4-H leaders to tell me more about the 4-H food booth. She explained that every Washington County 4-H club participates in operating the booth, and all Washington County 4-H members are expected to work there at some point during the fair. Members aged 8 to 18 help run the booth, and there are always two leaders present; one at the till and one at the grill. The 4-H food booth is the main 4-H fundraiser for the year.

The fair is always a great opportunity to learn about 4-H and FFA members and their projects. As I walked through the beef barn on Friday afternoon, it was fairly quiet, and I noticed a young man, Will Reynolds, sitting by his steer. I asked him about the steer and how he had done in the beef class. Will said he was happy with how well everything had turned out. He mentioned that he had purchased the steer, named Leonerd, from Mink Land and Livestock. This fall, Will will begin his freshman year at Cambridge High School. Although this is his first year in FFA, he has previously shown steers for four or five years in 4-H. Before joining FFA, he was a member of the Hitt Mountain Livestock 4-H Club. He said his favorite part of the fair is showing his animals.

FFA and 4-H members bring their animals to the fair and compete for top honors in their classes. Here are the 2025 Market Animal Grand and Reserve Champions:

Market Goat: Grand – Dakotah Clagg, Reserve – Cole Cobb

Market Beef: Grand – Jace Mink, Reserve – Jace Waggoner

Market Swine: Grand – Natalie Grant, Reserve – Jack Papineau

Rabbit: Grand – Paige Pedevilla, Reserve – Ayden Pedevilla

Market Sheep: Grand – Paisley Pearson, Reserve – Waylon Brassfield

In addition to receiving special recognition for placing at the top of their classes, the champions are given the honor of selling at the beginning of the livestock sale.

Our fair would not be possible without the incredible support of the volunteers and sponsors. At every turn, you’ll find a volunteer helping with an event. Examples of the generosity of those who support the fair includes the many individuals and businesses who sponsor awards for open class projects displayed in the exhibit hall. Green & Gold Award sponsors contribute funds to help purchase awards for outstanding project class winners in both 4-H and FFA. In addition to these generous sponsors there are many individuals and businesses who support the livestock sale by buying the kids’ animals or buying Add-ons. This year’s livestock sale had a total of 175 animals that were purchased by buyers.

The Friend of the Fair Award is given each year to a business or individual who shows unwavering support for the fair. This year’s winner was Cambridge Lumber, owned by Jen Vanmeer.

A fair and rodeo would not be complete without a parade. The streets were lined with spectators enjoying the many fun attractions. Highlights included the 2025 Grand Marshals, Linda and Roy Mink of Cambridge; the Treasure Valley Leather Slappers riding horses and carrying American flags; Rick Mecham on his 4-wheeler; floats with riders tossing out candy; and a lineup of emergency vehicles.

The Saturday night rodeo was the final major event of the Washington County Fair and Rodeo. It drew a large crowd, with the grandstand packed to capacity. The weather was perfect, making it a beautiful night for a rodeo, and everyone had a great time. Thank you to all who help make our fair and rodeo possible!