Clackamas County fair ends on high note

Grow it, sew it, show it: Reagan Schwenk, 10, wins Reserve Champion Junior Beef Showman award

The 112th Clackamas County Fair came to a hot and dusty end Saturday, Aug. 18, as hundreds of people attended the rodeo, looked at exhibits, and slugged down gallons of lemonade to stay hydrated.

It also was the final day for young people to show off their livestock and explain why they love to raise cows, pigs, goats and sheep.

Reagan Schwenk, 10, a member of the Sandy Livestock 4-H Club, won the Reserve Champion Junior Beef Showman award with her heifer calf, Ophelia. Her aunt, Kim Anderson, noted that two generations of the family have participated in the county fair for 40 years.

It was a sleepy day in the pig barn, as visitors admired several litters of piglets.

Lizzie Neely, 14, a Molalla resident and member of Road Hogs 4-H Club, said her dad grew up raising pigs, so that's why she chose to do the same. Her pigs, Brownie and Speckles, both won blue ribbons in competitions.

Her sisters, Bekah, 11, and Gracie, 16, also showed pigs at the fair and shared funny stories about the animals.

"We had a 4-H meeting at my house and all of a sudden Lucy coughs and squirts poop about 15 feet away," Bekah said.

Gracie said her pig Sully suddenly decided to chase the farm's chickens, and she could not keep up with him. But he didn't catch any of the chickens.

People love the pygmy goats at the fair, said Sam Stetzel, a Wilsonville resident and member of Hoodview 4-H.

"They're interesting and have personalities," he said.

In the early days of the county fair, Al, one of his pygmy goats, pushed the spool in his pen close to the gate, so he could stand on it and get closer to spectators.

People crowded around and took selfies with Al, Stetzel said.

On the last day of the fair, the sheep were letting their owners know it was feeding time and two North Clackamas FFA members were happy to show off their animals.

Xeira Grant, 16, a student from Rex Putnam High School in Milwaukie, said she shows sheep, lambs and rabbits.

"Lambs are really smart, and they just want to please you. They have their own personalities," she said.

Scott Ticknor, 19, a recent Milwaukie High School graduate, said he chose to raise sheep because they are prominently mentioned in the Bible. They also are versatile animals that can be used for meat and can be milked, he said, adding that sheep also were the first domesticated animals.