May Fair Tags Sheep and Goats

By Brianna Boyd

Special to Dixon Patch

Pick-up trucks pulling trailers filled with sheep and goats began arriving at the Dixon May Fair bright and early Saturday morning.

Youth exhibitors were encouraged to arrive early for the annual ear tagging, and many took the advice to heart. The first trailer arrived in the fairgrounds just after 6:30 a.m. and by 9 a.m., ear tagging was in full swing outside the fair’s swine pavilion.

Between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., 43 market goats and 156 market sheep received their ear tags. Although the line of trailers stretched across the back of the fairgrounds, the entire process moved fairly quickly, with about a dozen people, including May Fair staff, board of directors and volunteers, assisting with the tagging and weight of each animal.

The number of market sheep and goats tagged Saturday was down slightly from last year, when the fair had 158 sheep and 50 goats. Fair officials said one possible reason for the decline is that youth opted to raise a different animal.

While it will still be a few more weeks before definite numbers are known on the amount of rabbits, turkeys, ducks, cavy and chickens entered in the fair, there was a significant increase in the market swine tagged for the 2012 event.

Over the last several weeks, FFA and 4-H advisors have been ear tagging swine for youth exhibitors. The fair will feature 140 market hogs, 13 more than last year.

In January, fair officials tagged 22 market steers, an increase of three from the year before.

Although the market animals do make up a large portion of the animals featured in the fair’s livestock area, there will be others included. The animals that had to be ear tagged Saturday only include those with youth exhibitors participating in market and auction. Depending on how an animal places in the market division determines if it will be sold in the auction.

Meanwhile, all entries for the 137^th annual Dixon May Fair are due by April 6. This includes chickens, rabbits, cavy, turkeys, and ducks, as well as all entries for the April 21 and 22 Dixon May Fair Junior Horse Show. All entries for fine arts, photography, baked goods, garden and still life are also due that day.

For more information on entries, visit www.dixonmayfair.com

The 137^th annual Dixon May Fair will open on Thursday, May 10 and entertain thousands of visitors through Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13. The fair will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. all four days, with a “soft” opening planned the evening of Wednesday, May 9.   For more information, visit www.dixonmayfair.com.

Editor's note: Brianna is the editor of the .