Farmers Prep To Show Off Livestock

When people think of the Eastern Idaho State Fair a lot of times they just think of the food, the rides and the concerts. But really the fair is all about the livestock.

Since she was a young girl, Mercedes Vincent has brought her cows from Paul, Idaho to show off their strong hips and sharp angular shoulders at the fair.

“They want them to look like they will produce a lot of milk for a lot of years and be good strong animals,” Vincent said.

Heifers, like Glory, are getting all cleaned up and ready to go strut their stuff.

“She does show herself off when she wants to,” Vincent said.

Whether it’s cows, sheep or rabbits, the animals mean a lot to those who care for them and prepare them for their fair debut.

“I love working with the animals,? Vincent said. ?They’re our pets, our babies.”

The fair even has a place where people who aren?t farmers can learn about animals including how to milk a cow without getting kicked in the face.

Josh Arritola came all the way from Vail, Ore. to show his sheep in his third fair of the summer.

“It is it is a lot of work,” Arritola said.

Making sure they get their food, water and even their baths is quite the undertaking. But Arritola said he enjoys the reward for his hard work.

?I like coming to the fairs and showing the sheep and letting people look at them,” he said.

Wade Thornley and his family brought seven of their Belgian horses to the fair to show how both the family and horses can work together as a team.

“It’s rare. Not too many people do it and it’s something my wife and kids do and hope to carry on the tradition,” Thornley said.