Video: Animal races, 4-H and a geese champion at the Waukesha County Fair

Published on: 7/22/2016

Woman shows off crafts at fair

By: Madeline Heim

Sheltered from the storm and sweltering heat inside the Waukesha County Fair Exhibit Hall on July 21, Ellen Smith, owner of One of a Kind Beadwoven Bracelets, kept a careful eye and a steady hand on her work.

Smith, who has been crafting since she was 9 years old, was weaving an intricate pattern on a small, traditional Native American loom. As she looped the threads and pointed out another piece of beadwork in her hair that was made by a friend, she described her extensive history with the craft.

This is Smith's 16th year competing at the fair, though not always with her beading. When she was younger, Smith explained that she participated in 4-H and showed a horse that she bought and paid for by herself.

Entering quilts, crochet and sewing projects is all in the family, according to Smith. She went to her first beading class when she was 12, where she was the only child in attendance. A few years later, she picked the habit back up again and has been entering projects into county fairs and the Wisconsin State Fair ever since.

'It's a love, it's a passion,' Smith said. 'Being able to share it is great.'

As a person with a disability, Smith said beading is therapeutic. She was hospitalized earlier this year, and said doctors continually advise her to practice beading and weaving to keep her blood sugar and blood pressure down — and keep her happy.

Smith's favorite piece that she's worked on, a beaded bracelet titled 'Fireworks,' will be on display at the Wisconsin State Fair after it scored well at an earlier county fair. It is a red, white and blue pattern of swirls and silver stars, and she said it was inspired by a piece of fabric she found in her mother's sewing cabinet.

In addition to weaving on the loom and displaying a multitude of tiny colored beads she uses for her work, Smith commended the opportunities the fair and other organizations provide for children. After participating in 4-H, she volunteered at a Girl Scout camp for 30 years, two activities that she said give children a chance to stay out of trouble.

'Every kid should be given a chance to get involved,' Smith said.

Animal races are a new watch at the fair

By: McKenna Oxenden

Trumpets blaring, cheering and screaming and excitement in the air are just a few things you can expect at the Waukesha County Fair races — the pig, duck and goat races that is.

While Larry and Barb Laux have been on the road doing these races for three years, this is the first time the Waukesha County Fair has hosted them or hosted races of this kind.

'They've tried to get me the past couple of years, but I'm always at Fond du Lac County Fair,' said Laux, who will be at nine county fairs this year.

Laux said the animals couldn't be happier at a fair, being housed in a trailer that is kept at about 60 degrees.

'They always get fed when they get back in so they just want to get around the track, and get back in the trailer where they get their treat and where it's cool,' Laux said.

Despite the severe storms July 21 both in the morning and evening, Laux said the animals could care less about what is going on outside because they are so content with their home.

Laux's Pleasure Valley Farm just north of West Bend has mainly been a llama farm for more than 25 years. It also doubles as a pumpkin farm that has been doing pig and duck races for eight years.

Even though this is his first time at the Waukesha County Fair, Laux is impressed.

'It's a nice area here, a lot of room for me to set up,' Laux said. 'Yesterday (July 20), we had a big turnout and loud crowd which is always great. The more people there are, the more fun they (the races) are. The more cheering and yelling, the better the animals are.'

4-H animal showing a family affair at the Waukesha County Fair

By: Madeline Heim

As he watched his daughters prepare their chickens for judging during the Waukesha County Fair’s poultry show on July 22, Rob Szczech gave a glimpse into the exhausting, exciting world of 4-H animal showing. 

The all-day, every-day process at the fair—which includes getting the animals judged, taking a written test of chicken knowledge and selling them at that night’s auction — is just the culmination of a year’s worth of hard work for his children. 

The Szczechs are from Wales and keep their animals at a local Angus farm, because Szczech said he is “not necessarily a farmer.” But when his children became interested in 4-H about five years ago, he decided to invest in the activity. 

“Chickens are the gateway animal into 4-H,” Szczech joked, describing the 26 chickens they had to wash earlier in the week before bringing them to the fair. 

His two youngest children are involved in dairy showing as well, a process Szczech said had them at the fair from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, and the family also showed 13 pigs. But the focus that day, however, was poultry. 

Szczech’s daughter Alanna, 15, described the two classifications of chickens that are judged: showmanship chickens, which she nicknamed the “chicken beauty pageant,” and meat birds. 

Alanna’s meat birds were ranked Champion Roasters during judging earlier in the day, based on probable meat quality and breast size. She said the trick is to choose a pair that is nearly identical. 

The meat birds, typically sold in pairs, usually go for about $250 at the auction, money Alanna explained is used to invest in more animals as well as grow her college fund. 

For showmanship, each bird is measured up against standards from the American Poultry Association, which Alanna called the “chicken Bible.” A shiny exterior and no tail feathers broken is what gives chickens the best chance of winning. 

“I really love the fair,” Alanna said. “Despite the heat, it’s so much fun.”

4-H veteran brings home pair

of champion geese

By: Madeline Heim

After 10 years participating in 4-H, Katie Kugenhagen, 17, is no stranger to raising animals that win. 

In this season’s run at the Waukesha County Fair, she brought home a fourth-place pig, a reserve Grand Champion lamb and a perfect pair of champion Sebastopol geese. 

Although the competition wasn’t without a few ruffled feathers — one of the geese was scared of the storm that passed through and injured part of her lower body, and the stifling heat was hard to adjust to — it was a successful fair for Kugenhagen’s geese. 

As Kugenhagen explained some judging logistics and demonstrated which part of her bird’s soft feathers was best for petting, the goose she was holding gave her a “hug” with its neck and nipped at the shiny buttons on a nearby girl’s shirt. 

“People are always thinking geese are so mean, but that’s not true,” Kugenhagen said. 

Although she has been involved in 4-H for several years, Kugenhagen made the decision to show geese just last year, and her family decided on the Sebastopol breed as one they all liked. 

The family keeps their geese near their home, where they filled up a kiddie pool recently for the pair to swim in. 

“We fill it up and they just go nuts,” Kugenhagen explained. 

She also said the geese will follow her family around when they’re outside and jokingly compared them to “giant lawn ornaments.” 

Because of her age, Kugenhagen only has two more years to show her animals at the fair, and she has been in the Advanced Showmanship group for about five years. At the time when she first entered the division, she was the youngest to win her age group three times and qualify for the group. 

From the white jacket she wears to signify that she and her animals are clean and presentable, to the upbeat competition atmosphere, to the friends she’s made over the years, Kugenhagen said she loves every minute of it. 

“It’s all so much fun,” Kugenhagen said. “(The animals) are so much fun to show.”