Oley celebrities are pairing up with yearling dairy cows for a presentation to a panel of judges. The Oley Valley Community Fair Association will be holding it’s second annual Celebrity Dairy Showmanship Contest Friday, Sept. 19, at 6:30 p.m. Pepsi is sponsoring the event.
“It’s all about having fun,” said Mark Hoch, chairman of the agriculture department. “There’s no specs to this thing in anyway. We’re taking bankers, accountants, it’s all about fun, people who have never handled a cow before; that’s what its all about.”
After seeing how much fun the Reading and Kutztown Fairs were having with this event the Oley Fair decided to have some fun too since that is what the fair is all about. Sometimes it takes being put on the spot a little to convince prospective contestants it’s all in good fun. According to Hoch, last year a three or four-year old took his calf and led it around the ring to show the adults how it’s done.
Senator Judy Schwank was delighted to be asked and said she would use any excuse to spend more time at the Oley Fair!
She said these contests are a lot of fun and although it’s not her first rodeo, she feels she is far from being an expert with only having shown some calves at the Reading Fair and a cow in the 2014 PA Farm Show.
“I did win one year at the Reading Fair, but the year before the calf I was showing stepped on my toes and it was pretty painful,” said Schwank. “I’m not nervous now, but I likely will be when I enter the show ring. I’ve learned over the years that it’s best to handle the animals with confidence. In other words don’t let the cow know that you are nervous!”
Schwank said the best part of participating in the contest is the chance to meet the 4-H members and their families who allow the “celebrities” to show their prize animals.
“They are so proud of them and anxious to help greenhorns like me get it right when it comes to handling their animals. I don’t want to disappoint them,” said Schwank.
This year’s celebrities including Judy Schwank, state senator, are last year’s champion, Jeffrey Graber, Graber Letterin’ Inc., Summer Gotwals, Brook Ledge, Inc., Karen Dobson, Director, Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs, Larry Kegerise, Earl F. Kegerise, Inc., Carl Herbein, Herbein and Co., Inc., David Maloney, state representative, Bruce Smith, National Penn Bank, Alan Finch, Oley Township Road Crew, Nate Christman, Christman’s Meat Market, Jamie Kline, Reading Eagle Company, and the 2014 Oley Fair Heaviest Pumpkin/Squash Winner.
Everyone gets a blue ribbon, but there is a plaque in each group as well as a runner-up and a Grand Champion Winner.
