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Five run for Blake’s Prairie Fair royalty

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Lexi Harper

Amber Patterson

Anna Tolle

Bryan Maring

Dillin Meier

Five area high schoolers are competing to become royalty for the 2016 Blake’s Prairie Jr. Fair, which will be held at the  Bloomington Fairgrounds July 14-17.

Queen candidate Lexi Harper, daughter of Tara and Greg Harper, Glen Haven, is sponsored by the River Ridge FFA. Lexi has been an active member of the FFA for three years, was last year’s chapter treasurer and currently serves as the chapter secretary. Lexi was part of the national soils team, was a member of the state qualifying meats team and has done livestock judging. She owns four Angus heifers she shows at local fairs and larger Angus breed shows.

Sponsoring Amber Patterson, daughter of Denice and Dennis Patterson, Bloomington, is the Blake’s Prairie Bombers 4-H Club. Amber has been an active member of 4-H for 12 years and has served as club president, vice president, and secretary. She has been involved in the beef, swine, sheep and food and nutrition projects and was Grant County Fair’s Master Showman of 2015. Amber is also a member of the state and national meat and livestock teams, a state quiz bowl contestant for livestock, and a state skillathon contestant, placing top both individually and with her team in March of 2016. She is heading to the national contest in November. Amber will attend UW-River Falls this fall and major in agricultural education.

Anna Tolle, daughter of Laura and Darren Tolle, Mt. Hope, is sponsored by the Mt. Hope Cardinals 4-H Club. Anna has been involved in 4-H for 11 years and is the current club president. Past offices held include secretary, and reporter/historian. Projects Anna has been involved in and showed at local fairs include clothing, photography, home enviroment, cooking, sheep and music. Anna also volunteers at Rural Safety Days and Operation Military Kids, and teaches CCD. She has also been a camp counselor at Upham Woods, Wisconsin Dells, for the past two years and hopes to return as a counselor in the future.

King candidate Bryan Maring, son of Robin and Dan Maring, Bloomington, is sponsored by the River Ridge FFA. Bryan has been an FFA member for three years and has been the top fruit seller for two years in a row. He has qualified for state meats for two years and is part of the trapshooting team. Bryan is the current chapter historian.

Sponsoring Dillin Meier, son of Janell and Tony Meier, Glen Haven, is the Blake’s Prairie 4-H Club. Dillin is in his eighth year as a 4-H member and is the club’s current vice president. He has been involved with the meats, livestock and quiz bowl/skillathon contests. Last year, Dillin was a member of the meats judging contest team that participated at the National Western Stock Show and, this fall, will head to Kansas City for the national meats contest. He has exhibited beef for four years and dioramas for two years.

As in the past, community members can cast a vote for the king and queen by purchasing a fair button. The buttons are sold by area 4-H clubs, the River Ridge FFA, Ma’s Bakery, Peoples State Bank (Patch Grove and Bloomington) Bloomington Stop ‘N Go and the UW Extension Office. Buttons serve as the season pass to all fair activities.

Children 7 and under will not need a button. Those 8 and older will need to purchase a button if they are not exhibitors with a pass. A discount on the buttons is available on those purchased prior to Thursday, July 14. Daily admission buttons are sold at the gate. There is free parking and free seating for all events.

The 149th annual Blake’s Prairie Jr. Fair will kick off on Thursday, July 14. Leading off the evening’s entertainment will be mutton-bustin’ for all junior ranch hands. This contest is open to children 3 to 8 years old and weighing no more than 55 pounds. The first 30 contestants to sign up will participate; sign up begins at 6 p.m. There will be prizes for all mutton busters. Once the little ones finish, the human foosball competition will start. S&J Enterprizes’ carnival will be set up with buy one get one free ride specials. There is no admission for Thursday’s show.

The results of the royalty contest will be kept secret until Friday at 7:15 p.m. when the installation will take place. The new king and queen will assume their duties, handing out ribbons at animal judging and greeting fair-goers all weekend.

Earlier Friday evening, the sheep, swine and poultry exhibitors will kick-off livestock judging at 6 p.m. at the sheep barn and poultry barn. This year, the Friday night grandstand entertainment is Doc Ron’s Weird Science Comedy Show. Be prepared to be educated as you are entertained with Doc Ron’s science experiments. Audience participation is key as everyone learns about leverage, air vortex and even time travel. Show time is 6:30 p.m. Rondini’s Magic and Hypnotist Show completes Friday night’s entertainment, in front of the grandstand, starting at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, July 16, there will be livestock and exhibit judging beginning at 9 a.m. Goat judging is at 10 a.m. and rabbit judging begins at 11 a.m. The ever-popular old fashioned kids games will begin at 1 p.m. Bring the kids and grandkids to the grandstand area to participate and win some prizes. Midday, a meat animal auction takes place at 3 p.m. The car and truck demolition derby will begin at 7:30 p.m. Make sure to stick around at dusk for a fireworks show after the demolition derby, weather permitting. Wrist wrestling will end the night, around 10 p.m., at the beer garden.

The horse and pony judging will start the last day of the fair on Sunday, July 17. All horse and pony exhibitors are to be on the grounds with their animals at 8:30 a.m., with judging starting at 9 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., cat judging will take place near the general exhibit building.

The River Ridge FFA will again sponsor the chicken barbeque. This will take place on Sunday morning, starting at 10:30 a.m., until 1 p.m. Serving is on the fairgrounds.

Starting at 11:45 a.m. will be this year’s parade. The kids’ pedal tractor pull is at 2 p.m. in the grandstand area, and all bakers need to have their pies ready for the pie contest at 2 p.m. in the general exhibit building. This year’s pie contest is open to everyone.

Sunday evening is time for the local tractor pull. The pull is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. There is an entry fee per tractor entered and cash prizes are paid to the first five places in each weight class. Each class winner will also receive a trophy, and the “ladies special” gives each woman placing first in her class additional prize money.

S&J Enterprizes carnival will be on the grounds for the enetire Blake’s Prairie Jr. Fair, providing lots of rides for kids of all ages as well as all favorite fair foods. Also, the Holy Name Food Stand will be open with delicious burgers, pies and more.

For more information about any of the scheduled events, visit www.blakesprairiefair.org.

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