A young rider gets thrown off of a ewe during the Mutten Bustin competition on Tuesday afternoon at the Southwest Washington Fair in Chehalis.
Fans brave the rain as they cheer on 38 Special during their performance on the Saloon Stage at the Southwest Washington Fair on Tuesday evening in Chehalis.
Jesse Gleason, from the Chehalis Indian Tribe Reservation, attempts the Hoop Shot at the Southwest Washington Fair on Tuesday evening in Chehalis.
38 Special guitarist Don Barnes performs a guitar solo during the band's performance on Tuesday evening at the Southwest Washington Fair in Chehalis.
Carnival workers wipe down the giant slide on Tuesday evening at the Southwest Washington Fairground in Chehalis.
38 Special guitarist Danny Chauncey performs a guitar solo during the band's performance on Tuesday evening at the Southwest Washington Fair in Chehalis.
The winner of the demolition derby gets out of his car after the final race on Tuesday evening at the Southwest Washington Fair in Chehalis.
Carnival workers wipe down the giant slide on Tuesday evening at the Southwest Washington Fairground in Chehalis.
38 Special guitarist Don Barnes performs a guitar solo during the band's performance on Tuesday evening at the Southwest Washington Fair in Chehalis.
A carnival workers wipe down the giant slide on Tuesday evening at the Southwest Washington Fairground in Chehalis.
.38 Special performs on the Saloon Stage at the Southwest Washington Fair on a rainy Tuesday evening in Chehalis.
The first day of the 2014 Southwest Washington Fair featured livestock judging, mutton busting and an array of activity at the Friendlyville tent.
Children competed in a hula hoop contest and raced in the penny scramble, a dash through haystacks to gather an assortment of coupons, passes and money.
Michel Lambert, of L & D Amusements from Madera, California, set up a mechanical bull near the Friendlyville tent. Children and teenagers lined up throughout the afternoon Tuesday to test their skills on the bull. Some went slow while others tried “cowboy mode,” and were quickly knocked off.
Lambert said most people get knocked off the bull in seconds, but one year a Boy Scout commander stayed on no matter how fast the bull moved.
“He was built like the Incredible Hulk. I couldn’t get him off it,” Lambert said.
Later in the afternoon, the first Mutton Busting, or sheep riding, took place out of real miniature bucking chutes into an arena area that gives the young riders an authentic rodeo atmosphere.
The Mutton Busting, hosted by Wool Busters, an Oregon-based company, is a free activity for children at least 55 pounds.
“These kids are doing the same thing as the real cowboys,” Wool Busters founder Frank Rendon said. “The only difference is 2,000 pounds.”
The defending Mutton Busting champion from last year, Case Jeg, 8, Chehalis, was the first to go out of the chute Tuesday afternoon. He made it the length of the arena without falling.
“It takes a little bit for them to get their nerve up,” Jeg’s father, Heinz Jeg, said. “He’s a veteran. They are having fun with it.”
Mutton Busting will continue three times daily during the fair at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at Friendlyville. Sign-ups are at the time of the competition.
While children and families played in Friendlyville and rode the carnival rides, other began prepping their livestock for judging.
Dairy cattle, poultry, swine, rabbits, pigeons, sheep, and dogs were all shown Tuesday.
Christina Shipp, of the Wild West 4-H Club in Napavine, sat with her daughter, Tearra Shipp’s, market steer and heffer. Tearra, 11, is scheduled to show her livestock on Thursday.
“We raised both, we had both of their moms,” Christina Shipp said.
Christina Shipp grew up on a dairy farm in Onalaska and was a part of 4-H. Now her daughter is in her third year raising livestock.
“I think it’s a good thing for the kids,” Christina Shipp said. “It keeps them out of trouble.”
