August is a big month for 4H students. They spend a large amount of time gearing up for the Benton County Fair, creating crafts, working with their show animals and preparing food.
Apple Spur has members from 5 years of age up to 17 who enter items (or themselves) into the fair. Two members -- Kenley Belle Huskey, 7, and her sister Kaley Huskey, 12 -- entered the Benton County Fair pageant. Kenley Belle was chosen for Little Miss Benton County, audience favorite for Little Miss and fair wear for Little Miss. Kaley was chosen for audience favorite for Miss Pre-Teen Benton County. This was the girls' first year running for the Benton County Fair, but they have run for the past three years in the Pea Ridge pageants.
Livestock is a huge deal for 4H members. Apple Spur had several youth who entered animals from bunnies, heifers and lambs, to swine. Mikenley Travis is the oldest member who placed this year. She entered a market lamb and won first in her class, third overall in Market Division and took home Reserve Grand in the Commercial Division, Senior Showmanship and Super Senior Showmanship.
Kenley Belle Huskey, entered four bunnies, which all placed first in each of their categories.
Mason Wood, 9, entered a heifer. He placed second in his class.
Samuel Huston, 9, took home Grand Champion with his Poland, Charlotte.
Matthew Huston, 5, received Reserve Grand Champion with his Berk, Venollope, both swine.
When you go to the fair, you typically think of rides, food and livestock, right? What about crafts?
Apple Spur had several members enter craft items and prepared goodies in the Exhibit Hall. Everyone who entered items this year was a "first time entry" except for a couple kids.
Lilyan Lubbess, 10, entered 11 items, bringing home 11 first place blue ribbons. She also entered into the Tossed category, where she placed third in the Junior Division. This was Lily's second year entering crafts into to Benton County Fair.
Landon Lubbess, 5, entered nine items into the fair, bringing home nine first place blue ribbons. Two of his items, a Thanksgiving wreath and a sock caterpillar were chosen to go to the State Fair, where they will run again. For Tossed, Landon and his mom built an airplane out of aluminum cans they collected while gathering trash for community service. He placed first place in his division, winning a $50 gift card.
When asked what his favorite thing was, he replied "I liked everything, especially making the chocolate chip cookies and building my airplane."
Daniel, 12, Noah, 10, and Jacob, 6, Darnell all entered items into the fair. Together, they brought home 12 first place ribbons, three second place ribbons, and two third place ribbons. The boys also entered into the Tossed.
Jacob received third place in the Clover Bud division. When asking Jacob what he liked best, he responded with "I enjoyed making the Tossed and baking cookies, but my favorite was taste testing them."
Weston Rucker, 12, was a first-time exhibit enterer. He entered a photo of a cow and received third place.
Mason Wood also entered nine photos into the competition. Of those nine, two were chosen for state..
"We are super proud of all of our members this week, and hope to see more entries into the fair next year," Lilyan Lubbess said. "Everyone did a great job this year."
Community on 08/21/2019