The first day of any annual event can bring unexpected and unfortunate surprises.  Quick thinking and quicker response teams can keep those joy sucking moments from the general public – and so it was on the first day of the Humboldt County Fair.  From my perspective on the racecourse and while strolling through the fair, any slips or setbacks were taken care of before anyone knew they occurred, and the first day of the Humboldt County Fair and horseracing was sweet and smooth.

I spent the day on ‘the backside of the track,’ visiting with returning jockeys, trainers and owners; Mike the Outrider, racing officials, pony riders, grooms and – my favorites – those rough and tumble men that load the horses into the starting gates.  For me that is where the action is.

I follow jockeys more than horses and in the first race I was pulling for Brittney Smith, a local barista from Old Town Coffee and Chocolate turned jockey. Brittney made her Humboldt County debut in front of family, old friends, and packed stands against four seasoned jockeys.   The strong field of jockeys had to have left those friends and family holding their collective breath.

As expected, the old pros next to Brittney blasted out of gates one, two and four, and boxed her out and away from any chance of getting a shot at the lead.  Her horse’s momentum broken, they drifted to the outside and then fell to last place, staying there to the finish. We didn’t get a chance to talk the race over, but did smile at each other as she passed, silently acknowledging the bumping and boxing, and that there would always be another race.  Her next horse got scratched.  That’s horse racing.

There were five races and with every finish an exciting one.  The horses held jockeys that had been riding for several years at larger, big money tracks. Each race finished with three or four horses bunched up and fighting for a share of the money.   Friday promises to be an even more exciting day.

For the rest, the children had a screaming, sugar filled day. There are two live camels to ride – get in line with the kiddos and older people working on their bucket list. Take a ride on a zip line – unless you’re me.  This is totally a bucket list item needing to be checked off.  For you.

Did I mention this ride should be only for children and adults that have had fewer than two heart attacks?  My avoidance of the zip line is pre-emptive avoidance of possible heart attacks.  Instead, you can get your heart attack on by feasting on colossal amounts of deep fried . . . everything, all while perusing and maybe purchasing piles of inexpensive but possibly useful stuff.  As seen on television!  And don’t forget the candy . . .

My favorite thing at the Fair is the 4H children, out in full force and full of excitement and pride: cows, sheep, chickens, goats, pidgeons, pigs and other feathered and fur-covered beasts will be shown for glory and auctioned for college tuition. Every animal brings top dollar as local ranchers, farmers, business owners and families join in bidding wars for some of the best fed, best cared for animals and birds in the region. The Junior Livestock Auction is a promise waiting to fill the pocket every young 4H member that has spent a year or more caring for their ribbon winning creature.

There is absolutely nothing like the Humboldt County Fair. Come join in the fun.