Back in March when long-time friend Greg Lear asked me to judge the open class hog show at the Clay County Fair, in Iowa, I did not hesitate and absolutely agreed to do so.
I had spoken at a seminar during the Clay County Fair years ago and was familiar with what this fair accomplishes in educating non-farm folks about the world of agriculture. Additionally, this county fair is on par with many of the state fairs in this nation; it is quite the endeavor.
For the record, that is how this fair has been from its inception. The very first “modern” Clay County Fair was held in September 1918. That was the big year of the Spanish Flu so imagine the resistance that there had to be in bringing 30,000 people together for an event. The horse racetrack was completed as the center of the events in 1918.
History tells us that the next year, 1919, the fair itself was off to the races.
Secretary M.E. Bacon urged farmers to exhibit more in 1919, and they certainly responded as there were 1,200 exhibiting pork producers, 450 more than any other county fair in the state. Because of good weather, exhibits and entertainment, the four-day attendance for the 1919 fair was estimated at 48,500.
Nineteen years later, Don Haupts was born on a farm in Calhoun County, near Manson, Iowa. He was in the ring during the show this past weekend and four generations of his family were also involved in the show. After the show I needed to go sit down and visit with this living legend. I said, “Don, I hear this is your 52nd consecutive Clay County Fair exhibiting pigs.” He corrected me that this was actually his 53rd fair!
In 1944, at the age of 17, Haupts signed up for the war because, in his words, “Everybody was going. I didn’t want to be the only one not going.” He was a Navy medic during the war, but admits he was lucky because not long after he enlisted, “We dropped the bomb and it was over.”
Here is where it gets even more interesting. Haupts may have been the oldest exhibitor of pigs at the Clay County Fair, but he was not the longest most consecutive swine showman. Clark Conover, from Holstein, told me it was it the 58th consecutive year with pigs at this show; however, Clark is only 87 years old. I found it amazing that the show had two exhibitors that were born before World War II even started. WOW! What a tradition of excellence, service and dedication.
Through the years I have often mentioned that the best part of livestock exhibition is the opportunities and skills the young people acquire, but in this case I must admit that great conversations with individuals who have been around to see so many changes in the world of food production made it quite the enjoyable endeavor.
I don’t want to completely ignore another project that Lear has championed as part of the Clay County Fair. He has created an opportunity for the “town kids” to have a junior livestock project and compete at the fair with a pig. I know of several counties in Iowa that have found a path for kids beyond the traditional farm upbringing to “own” and show pigs. Without question, this is a labor of love and one all of us should get more involved in.
In closing, my trip to Spencer, Iowa, was beyond what I had even hoped it would be and like every other trip it had nothing to do with the hogs and everything to do with the people who brought them to town.
The county fair is supposed to be a community celebration of agriculture and I know many people who should visit the Clay County Fair to see what a really good fair can look like. It’s not just an opportunity for livestock exhibitors, but truly a showcase of what makes our nation great and something that can be enjoyed by every person that attends.
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the views of High Plains Journal. Trent Loos is a sixth-generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show “Loos Tales” and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.LoosTales.com, or email Trent at [email protected].
PHOTO: (At left) Don Haupts visits with High Plains Journal columnist Trent Loos, who was an open class judge. (Courtesy photo.)