By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The Wiener Dog Derby at this year’s Wood County Fair was such a huge hit that the fair board recently voted to bring it back for 2027, possibly with a couple of new twists.
During the October Fair Board meeting, Fair Director Tyler Burris asked to include the popular event for the 2027 fair. She had the idea to add the wiener dog race after the Monday night harness races this year,
“The 4-H kids were talking about it for weeks,” said Fair Director Bruce Kidder. “Everybody loved it.”
The board voted unanimously to book the dachshund races for 2027; the only suggestion was to include a race for Corgis as well as a way to bring more participants and spectators.
“I’ve seen a lot of Corgis at baseball games and sporting events,” said Fair Director Bob Strow, indicating other events have seen the benefit of adding Corgis to the race card.
Burris said she would look into it. She is considering dividing the wiener dog races into pro races for the people who “literally travel the state” to participate in similar races, and “amateur/hometown” races to make the races more equitable.
She also may start the harness horse races a half hour earlier, which would allow the dog races to start before 8:30 p.m.
The inaugural wiener dog derby after the 2026 Monday night harness horse races boasted a full race card with 32 dachshunds vying for top-dog honors. Each fast and furriness race was over in seconds, as the full grandstands howled with excitement.
Livestock rules and shows
Reporting on the post-fair rabbit department meeting, Director Ashley Welling said there is interest in adding a Pee Wee Rabbit Show to the fair schedule. “We are the only species that doesn’t do a Pee Wee show,” she said. They also talked about adding a costume contest and updating some of the rules.
There is also interest in bringing back first-year rabbit showmanship, Director Erin Perry added. Though there was discussion whether that is age-based or open to any age that is showing rabbits for the first time.
“It’s very lopsided, especially for rabbits, when we have junior and senior showmanship. For seniors, we’ll have like 20-some kids. For juniors, we have upwards of 40 with a lot of those being brand new kids,” she said. Adding a first-year category would even out the numbers across three categories instead of two.
Welling said a different option would be to add an intermediate group. As a frequent rabbit judge at other counties, Welling said “I typically see junior, intermediate and senior. I don’t know a lot about first-years, but I just know that’s the feedback we’ve been getting.”
Collin Britton said the idea of a first-year show was brought up in the sheep and goat meeting.
“That is one of the things that we’re going to assess in the livestock committee,” Grames said. The livestock rules committee meeting will be held Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Administration Building’s upstairs meeting room.
The number of exhibitors bringing rabbits to the fair has increased exponentially in recent years, which has required the fair board to borrow cages from two different fairs. “We don’t have enough cages for them, so we’re going to need to think about the current cage supplier, Welling said.
The idea of reducing the number of rabbits a junior fair exhibitor can bring was suggested. “It’s been a standard rule of six rabbits” for many years, Erin Perry said.
“It’s going to be a bad battle if you diminish the amount of rabbits somebody can bring,” Welling cautioned.
Another Fair President challenge
Fair Board President Paul Perry reminded the board, “The culture starts with us. Our actions speak louder than our words.”
He encouraged board members to think about, “What kind of experience are we creating for our kids, our volunteers and our community?”
“Our job isn’t simply to oversee the fair; it’s to create an environment where people want to participate, where our community wants to serve and where our next generation wants to carry on our traditions.” He challenged each director “to take an action. Encourage a young person. Thank a volunteer. Welcome someone who wants to help. Look for ways to say ‘yes’ instead of saying ‘no.’”
Gun raffle fundraiser returns
Tickets are available for the Agricultural Society’s third annual Fields to Firearms Gun (and Purse) Raffle on Jan. 23, 2027, at the fairgrounds’ Pratt Pavilion. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.; dinner (catered by Blue Collar Barbecue) begins at 6 p.m. and the drawings at 7 p.m.
First Vice President Tony Violi reported tickets are $65 per person this year, an increase of $5, and tables are $1,200.
The gun raffle committee decided to limit the number of tables to 20. “We’re adding some more perks to the tables, including upping the price of the gun that the table wins, better snacks and other giveaways,” Violi said.
As part of the silent auction, each of the livestock committees is asked to contribute a basket and proceeds will go back directly to each committee. The successful bidders for the livestock committee baskets will be considered a premier department sponsor and will be listed on a banner during fair, announced Treasurer Jolynn Nissen.
Sponsors are also being sought for each of the guns this year. For a $500 donation, each gun sponsor will be listed on a banner at the event and the 2027 fair, and be promoted throughout the event and on Facebook.
Early bird tickets, purchased before Dec. 17, will be entered into a special gun raffle, Violi said. “That is also the date we are asking for all tables to be sold by, so we can have guns purchased for that”
The 2026 event raised nearly $28,000 last year, allowing the fair board to distribute $4,600 for scholarships to junior fair members and the junior fair royalty court.
In other business:
- Secretary Conni Grames reported all the livestock sale money has been received and that the Junior Fair Board will meet Nov. 2 for the first meeting with 17 new members.
- The board approved “Summer Nights and Midway Lights” for the 2027 Wood County Fair theme.
- The November board meeting was moved to Nov. 19 to avoid a conflict with Thanksgiving, and the annual meeting in December is scheduled for Dec. 17.
- Christina Adams submitted a letter of resignation from the fair board, citing the need to focus more time on her family and business; the board accepted her resignation.
- Tyler Burris was authorized to submit an application for a capital improvement grant from the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association; the request will be for improvements in front of the grandstand, which is also is an important improvement for the Northwestern Ohio Tractor Pullers Association to reduce washouts on the pulling track.
- Perry asked the directors to think about ideas to reduce the approximately $10,000 of uncovered expenses for open shows. “If we can close that gap and cover that cost a bit, it would help tremendously,” he said.
- Director Deanne Corken shared a fun fact about that Farm to Market Exhibit. “We figured out each little tractor has been driven about 15 1/22 miles. Between all the tractors for the two years, they’ve put on almost 184 miles. So, it’s like driving to Cincinnati. I don’t know how long these tractors are going to last, but they are getting a good workout.”
