County Fair-goers persevere through heat, rain

Steve Drazkowski looked glum.
As did pretty much everyone else when Friday's oppressive heat carried over into a monsoon and flash flood warnings on Saturday at the Wabasha County Fair.
"This has got to be one of the most extreme years I've seen," said Drazkowski, a Republican state representative from Mazeppa.
"We went from being too hot to being wet all the time," Fair Board president Barb Petit said. "You've got to go with the flow. You can't control it."
Saturday events including the Los Moralitos Circus and the demolition derby were canceled due to the weather. Most everything else went on as planned, including the pedal pull and the annual 4-H livestock auction.
Colorful displays of photography, plants, crafts and such attracted many Fair-goers to the Events Center.
You could learn how to make apple sauce and pumpkin muffins, and note the nutritional differences between fried chicken and grilled chicken. Among dozens of other things.
"I think we've had a good Fair," Petit said. "It's neat to see the kids, the responsibility they take in putting their projects together."
Among the young folks preparing livestock for judging was Sage Grover, 18, of Plainview, a veteran of 13 years in 4-H.
The 2018 Plainview-Elgin-Millville High School alumna is a member of the Happy Ramblers 4-H club. She has won showmanship, premier showmanship reserve, and grand champion titles over the years. She also served five years as a 4-H camp counselor, and was a member of the Executive Council, and now studies at the University of Minnesota.
"It's good family time here," Grover said as she and her father, Eric, prepared Sage's rambouillet sheep, Posie, for judging at the Fair. "I really have grown in leadership in 4-H. I've met so many new people. I'm glad that my dad made me be in it when I was in kindergarten. So thank you, Dad."
"You're welcome," Eric said as he helped trim Posie's wool.
Monica Evers, 16, of the Jolly

To read more about the Wabasha County Fair log in to your online subscription now or purchase a July 25 edition of the Plainview News on stands now.