20 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 4, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com cattle and numerous rabbits and chickens, the result of the hard work over the summer by students in the 22 4-H and eight FFA chapters participating in the fair. After months of dedication raising their animals, the work is still far from over. The weigh-in period begins—for pigs, they must strictly be between 210280 pounds to qualify. Those that don’t make weight can try again at the Santa Cruz or San Benito county fairs. Tayler Baldwin, public relations coordinator for the fair, says the number of entries are up slightly compared to recent years. For the first time since the Covid-19 era, the junior livestock auction will take place at the same time as the fair, after being held the week before. Students will then compete in the market and showmanship divisions. In the market, judges will examine the animal for how well it will produce a meat product. In showmanship, students must demonstrate how well they’ve trained their animal through a variety of techniques—which vary by animal—including keeping their animal between themselves and the judges at all times. “It’s the little things that make the show really interesting,” Baldwin says. “You have to work with your animal a lot to prepare for these fairs.” That amount of training means the students spend countless hours with their animals. That also means it’s hard to say goodbye once the fair ends. Tears will be shed. At the conclusion of the fair, buyers of the animals at the auction can choose to have them slaughtered and processed at a butcher of their choice, or resell them to a processor. Or, they can choose to donate the meat to the Food Bank for Monterey County or Salvation Army. With experience, Dalton says she knows how to emotionally separate herself from the fair animals and her own pets. But it’s difficult for many students, especially the first-timers. “They will sit in their pens, say their goodbyes and they will cry,” she says. “To these kids, they are like family. They are spending so much time with them. “It’s hard, but they’ll do it again.” For the high school seniors, this will be the last time they show an animal at the Monterey County Fair. Everett Alvarez FFA member Aleena Chavez, a senior at Everett Alvarez High School in Salinas, was chosen as the Monterey County Fair Heritage Foundation’s $2,500 scholarship recipient and exhibitor. The pig she is raising will be auctioned during the fair’s junior livestock auction on Saturday, Aug. 31. All proceeds from the sale of the animal will benefit the foundation’s programs for youth, including scholarship opportunities and agricultural awareness, while helping with improvements to the barns, grounds and other event center venues at the Monterey County Fair. Chavez, who earned a California FFA State degree, plans to study for a career as a veterinarian or agriculture teacher after she graduates from high school. She said she wants to encourage more women to pursue “non-traditional” roles in the agricultural industry, including as mechanics. Stagner says her dream is to attend a four-year university, with her sights set on Texas A&M University, studying animal science. She still has another year, as well as three more fairs and other competitions to go before she graduates, so the daily grind of caring for her pigs continues. As Stagner walks Bandit in a figure-8 outside of their Chualar barn, her mother Tami Carriger looks on. She notes that while she does join Stagner in the barn as she completes her various tasks, the work is all done by her daughter. Besides, while Stagner’s father Tom is allowed to wash the pigs, they are not permitted to walk them—“She says we do it wrong,” Tami Carriger says. “We’re really proud of her,” she says. “It’s hard work. She has to be dedicated, but she feels a real good sense of accomplishment.” Monterey County Fair runs from noon-11pm Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 29-Sept. 1 and noon-10pm Monday, Sept. 2 (the junior livestock auction takes place at 10am Saturday, Aug. 31). Monterey County Fair and Event Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. $7-$14. montereycountyfair.com. Top: After giving her goat a bath, Lily Tenorio walks Hank Jr. around the barn. Above: Will Freshwater lets a pig stretch its legs as he prepares to clean out a pen.
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