Fair sales nearing $700,000

There were two huge highlights of the 2019 Rock-dale Fair, which ended Saturday at Fair Park.

The Fair’s combined sales—to benefit Milam County 4-H and FFA youth—will top $700,000, including a record $430,000-plus livestock action Saturday night.

And the park didn’t flood.

That’s not a joke, and certainly nobody was laughing in 2018 when rains turned the Fair Park into a mud bath, canceling the rodeo and carnival and making other events difficult.

“This year the weather was just about perfect,” Johnny Hill, Rockdale Fair Association (RFA) president, said. “Nice cool mornings. It got a little warm Saturday afternoon but the turnout was still spectacular for the events.”

SALES—All the numbers were preliminary at Reporter presstime Tuesday as books on Fair sales didn’t close until Wednesday, with added money still being assessed, but a number of milestones are already assured.

The youth livestock sale stood at $432,664. That’s a new all-time record and it’s a record by a lot. The previous high was $392,870 in 2017.

It was also a record for the baked food division which stood at $21,725. Previous record was $16,135 in 2016.

The commercial heifer sale was at $238,265 and ag mechanics was $6,695 Tuesday.

Put them all together and the preliminary total was $699,349, virtually assuring the combined sales total for the 2019 Fair will top the $700,000 mark.

All-time record is $712,270 in 2017.

There’s more numerical heights which will be scaled. Preliminary 2019 totals enabled the all-time cumulative Fair sales total to surpass $8-million. And the youth livestock auction is now over $6-million.

“We all want to emphasize that every penny of that has gone, and will continue to go, to the youngsters who work so hard to raise animals, bake items and make ag mechanics entries,” Hill said. “Nothing goes to the Fair Association or anyone else.”

THANKS—“Once again, as they always do, the business community turned out in spectacular fashion to support the youngsters in the auction Saturday night,” Hill said. “The buyers arena was just about full.”

Even before the livestock sale began there was a special moment. Claude Spence, a 91-year-old Rockdale Fair Association charter director, is locally famous for this hand-crafted wooden birdhouses.

Spence crafted one to sell for the 2019 Fair sale. It was purchased for $4,000 by former Rockdale-area resident, and 1968 Rockdale High School graduate Morris Kyle and wife Tracy.

“It takes a lot of work and dedication to make this huge event happen every year,” Hill said. “Thanks so much to all those volunteers. We absolutely could not do it without them.”

HIGHLIGHTS—There were many highlights for 2019.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a larger car show in the eight years I’ve been in the Fair Association,” Hill said. “It took up the entire northeast part of the park and we got a lot of comments on how nice it was.”

People’s Choice winner was John Tate’s 1965 Chevrolet K-20.

The park’s southeast corner again featured scores of barbecue cookers with a local team—Jay Rubio’s “Just Blowin’ Smoke” taking top honors.

Runner-up was another local cooking team, Climate Control Cookers, led by Nathan Doelitsch.

There was another large arts and crafts show in the New Salem HD Clubhouse which, earlier in the week, had been the site of home economics competition.

The Old West Rangers, a re-enactors/history group which made a lively entrance in the Fair Parade were at the park with performances during the afternoon and staged a safety presentation for children.

The Fair Parade, which marched from downtown to Fair Park was one of the largest in recent years.

McDade Watermelon Festival won the Governor’s Award for best entry. KRXT’s Charlie and Viva McGregor were grand marshalls.

Cadillac Rodeo Company provided the stock for two nights of professional rodeo competition Friday and Saturday and there was rodeo slack throughout the day Saturday.

“I believe we probably had the best security we’ve ever had at a Fair,” Hill said. “We hired a company called Texas Defense Force and they were very professional and worked well at the gate.”

Headliners at the park pavilion were Michael Salgado on Thursday night, Johnny Lee on Friday and William Clark Green on Saturday.

Miss Texas, Chandler Foreman, rode in the parade and visited the Fair grounds on Saturday.

“We also want to thank those who put on the two great pageants the first Saturday of the Fair,” Hill said. “Those events remain very popular.”

CLEANUP—A unique feature of the Rockdale Fair takes place after it is over.

On Sunday, as required, youth exhibitors who made the sale return for a general cleanup of the park, assisted by scores of adults and, of course, RFA volunteers.

Many of those RFA directors, and workers, spend most of a week at the park.