As I stood under the poultry and rabbit barn last Thursday morning at the Park County Fairgrounds, well before the big crowds, before many of the food trucks had started selling, I had a thought I always have when surrounded by 4-H and FFA kids working with their animals — this is what it’s all about. 

The fair wrapped up Saturday with all of the classic trappings, the annual demolition derby and the carnival going late into the night. And that’s all enjoyable — I can say firsthand the figure 8 races were very cool, something my nearly 10-year-old certainly agreed with (he's now wondering what it would take to become a racer himself.) 

Still, for me, the fair is no more enjoyable than seeing these kids show off all the hard work they’ve put in. 

And while some of the work results in big paydays, such as with pigs and steers, a lot of it, like showing chickens, is just for the thrill and the hope of winning Grand Champion, or even a ribbon. 

It’s that excitement that drives me to the fair year after year, even if it’s before 8 a.m., almost none of the food vendors are open, the carnival rides are still and even the free stage, much less the grandstand, is quiet. 

Walk back beyond all that and the barns are alive, and not just the ones where kids are actively showing. There are kids washing down pigs, shearing off that last little bit of extra wool on sheep, tending to steers. 

My wife and I have made a point to take our kids through the animal barns each year at the fair, to show them what that kind of work and dedication looks like (and give them a glimpse of how much more work other animals can be the next time they ask for more than the flock of chickens we have). 

We do that at the state fair in Douglas as well when we can, as we have family down there. When I heard recently about proposals to move the state fair down to Cheyenne due to the ability to get more people to the big events, I balked — that’s a longer haul for people in much of the state, where Douglas is much more central. Big fair decisions should not be made primarily on behalf of the nighttime performances, the rides or even the food. 

The fair is for the kids who put in the time and effort year round to be able to stand in the spotlight for one week. All the rest is enjoyable, sure, but I hope everyone took at least a little time to see what it’s really all about.