By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Chris Doerner rode a Ferris wheel and showed a cow, his favorite fair animal, all for the first time on Thursday at the Wood County Fair.
The Northwood resident was so excited about showing a cow—more specifically, a beef feeder—he bought a cowboy hat to wear in the show arena. He was one of 54 individuals with developmental disabilities who demonstrated their abilities at showing rabbits, pigs, goats, beef feeders and sheep in the second annual Ring of Dreams Livestock Show.
He also enjoyed free rides, compliments of J.R. and Denise Woods, owners of Durant Amusements, who opened the rides for a short time on Thursday to participants of Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities-sponsored “Let Your Abilities Shine” Day at the fair.
At first, Doerner was nervous about riding the Ferris wheel, but he relaxed when the ride operator assured him he would stop the ride and let him off if he didn’t like it after one trip around. That wasn’t necessary. Instead, he wanted to keep going.
When participating in the Ring of Dreams for the first time, Doerner had no fear. At the practice earlier in the summer, he learned confidence was the key to controlling an animal in the show ring. He took that advice to heart and told the animal, “I’m the boss.”
His smile after the show, just like all the participants, was from ear to ear.
Barbara Markin and Kristin Fisher prepped for the show this year by learning how to show a goat during the practice session. On Thursday, along with demonstrating their show skills, they showed off their special manicures. Fisher’s nails were bold pink with sparkly silver accent nails. Markin’s hands included silver nails and four orange nails accented with a goat head.
Also during the Ring of Dreams, participants were led in cheers, chants and “the wave” by the beloved Amy Dauer, employment coordinator at Wood Lane Residential Services, who most participants know. She had them hooting and hollering, adding to the festive atmosphere of the arena.
Tommy Rich, a new Wood Lane Residential Services resident, sang a moving rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” to officially kick off the start of the event, which was founded in 2023 by Amanda Barndt.
“I’ve been a lifelong member of the Wood County Fair. My passion is to bring people into agriculture and what better way to do it than with Ring of Dreams,” Barndt said. “It was my honor last year to get to know the participants and especially to hear junior fair members talk about their experiences… and to see kindness and friendship turn into lifelong friendships and memories.”
More than 40 junior fair exhibitors had the opportunity to share their expertise with individuals who not only weren’t used to being around livestock but whose abilities were different from theirs.
Dakota Blasius was happy to have the experience of working with Izzy Norton. They were both first-timers in the Ring of Dreams, but they were flawless in the arena showing Blasius’s goat.
He decided to be a mentor this year after hearing good things about it from other junior fair members. “I wanted to give back to the community,” he said, but it ended up being more than that. “It was a rewarding experience, and I plan to do it again next year.”
From the special activities on the fairgrounds capped off at the end of the day with the standing-room-only Ring of Dreams, it was a day of inclusion—a day where there were no barriers to enjoying the fair for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Ring of Dreams was catalyst to more inclusive fair opportunities
Barndt’s request to the fair board to start the Ring of Dreams in 2023 and the obvious success of the first show are what prompted Fair Director Paul Perry to think about expanding inclusive opportunities at the fair.
A fire instructor at Penta Career Center, Perry has seen the value of offering opportunities to special needs students. He thought maybe the fair could do the same.
He sent a generic email to the Wood County Board of Development Disabilities to gauge their interest in participating and promoting more inclusion at the fair. He had no idea it would take off as quickly and expansively as it did.
The idea was floated to the WCBDD Recreation Team, and they immediately started to brainstorm how they might offer some fair activities.
“We put our heads together to come up with crafts, games and sensory items to take and play,” said Jen Krouse, recreation and wellness manager at the county board.
“We wanted to be able to offer activities people can experience in a safer, quiet, more relaxed environment,” than might be possible during a busy time at a fair, said Claire Griffith, WCBDD youth recreation specialist. The noise and crowds can sometimes be overwhelming and difficult for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Four-year-old Tino was helping his caregiver Nicole Ortiz make a paper plate face, complete with pompoms and googly eyes. “We cam to enjoy the activities and meet other kids,” Ortiz said.
Let Your Abilities Shine Day ran from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.— the less-busy times on the fairgrounds. In addition to the specially designed activities, guests were treated to special barn tours and a designated time on the rides, minus the loud music and blaring loudspeaker announcements.
In addition to being a significant opportunity for WCBDD individuals to experience the fair, it also was “a fantastic opportunity to spread who the Wood. County Board of Developmental Disabilities is to the community,” Griffith said.
With all the activities in the big tent near the racehorse barns, “You can see the beauty in what we do every day,” said Charese Botjer, WCBDD communications and community engagement manager.
At the end of the day, Laura McWilliams, caregiver for Chris Doerner, said the entire day was wonderful from the barn tours, rides and activities to the heart-warming and special opportunity at Ring of Dreams. She was pleasantly shocked to see the show arena packed to the rafters. “Wood County is so fortunate to have such amazing community support.”
Participants in the 2024 Ring of Dreams included:
Rabbits
Ryan Gardner with mentor Elizabeth Henning; Heather Jackson with mentor Addison Kepling; Zoe Hamblin with mentor Paisley Long; Kaylynn Horner with mentor Emma Ruffner; Paula Heffelfinger with mentor Sidney Engard; Andrew McKee with mentor Henry Engard; Ceili Richardson with mentor Addison Hannan; Cole Nicols with mentor Brady Swartz; and Heather Mulford with mentor Olivia Violi.
Goats
Embeth Canby with mentor Amelia Williams; Kayleigh Brown with mentor Addie Brokaw; Samantha Sisco with mentor Tessa Conrad; Melissa Frizado, with mentor Natalie Blake; Barbara Markin with mentor Sam Head; Kristin Fisher with mentor Emma Reid; Ethan Sayler with mentor Kamryn Sundermeier; Emma Briskey with mentor Sam Head; Nicole Benschoter with mentor Skylar Swartz; Izzy Norton with mentor Dakota Blasius; Kaelynn Miller with mentor Emma Reid; Jordon Doncoes, with mentor Logan Perry; Makenzie Tiell, with mentor Sam Head; Abigail Sattler with mentor Avery Swartz; Ted Blausey with mentor Ryleigh Perry; Grace Golden with mentor Emma Nester; Tyler Hitt with mentor Gordon Ayers; and Christopher Schuckers with mentor Skylar Swartz
Pigs
Bob Lawson with mentor Garrett Ziegler; Anne Schooley with mentor Emma Meek; George Stauch with mentor Sara Britton; Sawyer Rader with mentor Ben Jones; and Dennis Miller with mentor Bristol McDowell.
Beef Feeders
Chris Doerner with mentor Ali Meek; Tommy Rich with mentor Grace Dickson; Seth Reynolds with mentor Kaylee Dickson; Beau Galbraith with mentor Anna Ayers; Daniel Wright with mentor Peyton Hale; Dawson Lehman with mentor Evelyn Souvenier; Sara Burrell with mentor Audrey Anderson; Cory Barnett with mentor Summer Lehsten; Joseph Bechstein with mentor Bearett Feick; Jeremy Rieff with mentor Anna Ayers; Levi Emch with mentor Sophie Gillespie; Cristina Gray with mentor Grace Dickson; Anne Bechstein with mentor Evelyn Souvenier; Stephen Scholl with mentor Ali Meek; and Virginia Downs with mentor Leena Ayers.
Lambs
Virginia Nuzum with mentor Star Heldman; Lisa Rothfleisch with mentor Chloe Heldman; Arabella Hit with mentor Ruby London; Kayla Teetrick with mentor Summer Heldman; Kim Paxton with mentor Summer Lehsten; and Cole Fausey with mentor Darla Davis.
