Arkansas Fairs Josh Wallis

County Fair At the lowest level of the fair stair step is the county fair. County fairs vary from county to county. One trend that remains the same on the county fair level is the livestock exhibit by the FFA members and teams.

Activities at the County Fair for FFA Activities include the following: Hog showing Cattle showing Sheep showing Poultry exhibits Horse showing Horticulture exhibits With each activity the FFA member learns valuable live long skills. Most activities are determined by the county and the FFA program and its strengths.

Ag Teachers Role in County Fairs Ag teachers play a vital role in some counties with the Fair Board On the fair board the Ag teacher can make improvements, offer suggestions, and in some cases work in marketing for the Premium Sale. The week of the fair the Ag teacher plays many roles.

Week of the Fair Although a lot of work is done prior the the week of the fair the work load tends to double that week. That week the Ag teacher can be found grooming, washing, teaching, learning, registering, cleaning, and even parenting.

District Fairs After the county level comes the District; however there is no qualifications. The district level differs from the county level in the fact that the competition is greater. The district fair is not as long and hard as the county fair because the animals do not have to be out all week.

State Fair The State Fair is the most rewarding to the students because of the competition. The State Fair like the District Fair not only has showing but also judging. This is a great opportunity for the students who do not have animals to be involved.

Learning from Fairs No matter which level chosen the FFA students learn valuable lessons such as: Responsibility Goals Determination Sportsmanship

Summary By participating in any level of the Fairs, a student can learn many life long and valuable lessons. Our involvement as Ag teachers is what helps our students, learn and see how important the community, district, and state is to the field of agriculture.