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Madison vs. Waynesville
State Fair hopes attractions, gas prices raise attendance
Entries in the 12-day fair's cattle show are down 30 percent, possibly due to costs.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
This year's butter display features 'Mount Buckeye,' a ton of butter into which was carved likenesses of eight U.S. Presidents who called Ohio home, including (l-r) William Henry Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William H. Taft and Warren G. Harding. The butter display is in the Dairy Products Building at the Ohio State Fair, which begins today, July 30.COLUMBUS — For many exhibitors, showing cattle at the Ohio State Fair is the culmination of months of hard work. For cattlemen like Josh Greenhorn of Waynesville and Ray Fliehman of Camden, it's just part of making a living.
Both see the fair, which begins today, July 30, as an opportunity to network with other cattlemen and raise awareness of their herds. Greenhorn, 24, raises Shorthorns. Fliehman, 25, raises the Simmental breed of cattle. Both have some of their top stock at the fair.
A victory here or at other large shows would bestow prestige and bring higher value to the cattle or other products they sell, such as embryos and bull semen.
"A lot of people look at showing cattle as fun, but for us, it's a business," said Fliehman, who also farms more than 1,000 acres in Preble County with his brother and sister-in-law, parents, grandparents and uncle.
Cattle shows help kick off the fair's 12-day run. While daily admission is $10, up $2 from last year, organizers hope several new events will attract fairgoers.
Among them: live grizzly bears, kayaking for kids at the natural resources park, water bumper boats, and expanded sports offerings such as women's roller derby, a cornhole tournament, 5K run and more martial arts exhibitions.
Best-selling entertainment for this year includes country star Dierks Bentley joined by Miranda Lambert ($30, 7 p.m. Thursday, July 31) and Melissa Etheridge ($30, 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2).
The fair will have a farmers market this year. Also new to the menu: deep-fried mashed potatoes on a stick.
Fair officials hope higher gas prices will actually boost attendance this year as Ohioans seek a summer getaway closer to home, fair spokeswoman Christina Leeds said.
But higher gas and diesel costs may be a factor in an estimated 30 percent decline in the number of cattle entries at this year's fair, said Leslie Milleson of the fair's beef department. The higher cost of feed may also be to blame.
Fuel is just one of many factors that make showing cattle expensive. The animals often are the biggest cost. Greenhorn noted that at his family's sale last fall, 60 calves, cows and embryos brought an average of $6,800.
A grooming chute, in which cattle are prepared for competition, can command $700, and an upright aluminum box used to store products used at cattle shows can cost $800. Trailers to haul cattle can cost thousands of dollars.
"If you're just buying cattle to show, you're not necessarily going to make any money," Fliehman said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7457 or bsutherly@DaytonDaily
News.com.
155th OHIO STATE FAIR
WHEN Today through Aug. 10
ADMISSION $10 for adults, ages 13-59; $8 for children 5 to 12 and senior citizens over 60; children under 5 admitted free. ($3 admission until 3 p.m. today; free gate admission from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Cardinal Gate only)
TIP $6 tickets at Kroger, Ticketmaster, participating AAA locations.
PARKING $5 per vehicle
RIDES $1 to $3 each, or $20 for ride-all-day wristbands
GATES open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
DIRECTIONS Take Interstate 70 east to Interstate 670, then I-670 east to Interstate 71. Take I-71 north to the 17th Avenue exit or the Hudson Street exit at Silver Drive.
