By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The Wood County Fair Board wants to improve an online management system for the Junior Fair Livestock Sale.
The volunteer livestock sale committee recommended the fair board purchase an online system created by Breeders World called Final Drive Youth Auctions.
At the February board meeting, Roger Hunker previewed the benefits of the platform and how the company helps fairs with the process from uploading the youth projects that will be sold during the fair’s junior fair auction to the collection of funds from the buyers. The system also allows for buyers to remain anonymous if they choose.
“The exhibitors are encouraged to market their projects to area businesses, friends and families, and we offer tips of how to promote their projects on social media,” Hunker said.
The company can handle collection of money from the buyers to take that onus off of the fairs, and the net proceeds are sent to the fairs, “who are in control,” he added.
The company charges $12 per exhibitor for posting and collection plus $750 for representatives to be at the livestock sale on the last day of the fair. Based on numbers from last year’s fair, Fair Board Director Bob Strow recommended the board approve a cost of $6,000 to work with Breeders World for this year’s fair.
The proposal met with resistance, at least in the short term, because on the same day as the board meeting, three fair representatives were at a workshop in North Carolina to be trained on Fair Entry, the online management tool that the fair currently uses.
“My only concern, I’m not against, but we just paid $3,000 for three ladies to go to North Carolina Fair Entry livestock sale training. They were in that training today. I would like to hold off until we see what they bring back,” said Paul Perry, second vice president for the board.
Stacie Wenig Anderson, co-chair of the junior fair livestock showcase and sale, explained that the volunteer committee has given six months to see if Fair Entry can meet their sale needs.
“I would love to use the platform that you have already paid for for the sale; however, I have zero confidence that it will be adequately able to service our sale needs. We’ve never been told they could meet any of our requests,” she said.
This is the only request for money the committee has ever requested, Anderson said. They already have sponsorships to pay for signs, buyers’ gifts and food. “This is the one thing that would make our lives significantly easier and enable us to execute a successful livestock sale.”
“As a board making a financial decision, we’re not giving them (Laura Westgate, Kathy Thomas and Julie Hanna) a chance to come back and say what they learned,” Perry responded. A woman from Lenawee County is willing to come to Wood County to help navigate how to use Fair Entry for the sale, he was told.
After the motion to purchase Breeders World Youth Livestock Auctions, Strow indicated he would step down as chair of the fair board livestock sale committee. Anderson added, “It’s up the fair board, but I don’t think you will get volunteer buy-in for using Fair Entry for 2024. We love what we are doing, but it creates a lot more work. This is a way to streamline the significant results that we’ve had.
Fair Board President John Nissen set a livestock committee meeting once the group returned from the training before making a final decision about how to move forward for the 2024 junior fair livestock sale.
Harness races can be boon to fair revenue
Steve Bateson, a Wood County resident and immediate past president of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association, talked to the board members about the benefits of hosting harness races at the fair, after there had been questions at the January meeting about the races’ impact on the fair’s revenues.
“A fair’s program for racing should not lose money. It’s not a huge profit center unless you put forth a lot of effort in sponsorships and are able to get gate receipts and give credit for gate receipts,” Bateson said. “I want to assure you that the cost of putting on a show should not be a detriment to the Wood County Agricultural Society.”
The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association provides $12,000 to fairs that host races for two days or more. That money should more than offset the cost and provide at least $2,000 to $3,000 in profit.
Bill Peters, OHHA regional coordinator, helps organize the speed superintendent, judges, starter clerk and photo finish “that no one on the fair board has to be burdened with,” Bateson said.
He praised Cody Bame, Tyler Burris and Don Bechstein for last year’s fair races.
“We had two successful nights of racing. I think the transition to Sunday was a new thing for some,” Bateson said. “We didn’t have the parimutuel wagering we would like, but keeping a consistent schedule will help. Going into this year that we are going to race on Sunday afternoon is a good spot for us.”
The idea of moving races to Saturday before the official start of the fair had been discussed, to free up the grandstand for other events during fair week. That option would only be possible if. Seneca County, whose fair ends on that day, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture would approve the change.
“I don’t think the idea of racing on Saturday is a bad idea on set-up day, but because of overlapping with Seneca County, it doesn’t appear the state is going to allow us to do that,” Bateson said. “I also think you would jeopardize some of your ag society money.”
A Sunday and Tuesday schedule for the races could be a good option for the traditional harness race attendees, he said. “If you don’t have back-to-back race days, you’ll have better attendance with a day in between.”
This year’s races will include eight colt and filly stakes and the Dave Chamberlin Trot and Sam Chamberlain Pace, which are the two featured races funded through an OHHA grant. The Dennis Zernhel Pace, which has been a featured race in the past, will become one of the stake races, Bateson explained. Those changes should help the bottom line, he added.
The association also offers grants and aid money to cover projects that affect racing. Matching grants up to $20,000 are available for projects, such as electrical work, roofing and sound systems. Additionally, joint advertising is possible for fairs whose advertising includes mention of the harness races. The association pays for an advertising buy on a country radio station to promote the races but will consider shared costs for ads that incorporate harness racing promotions.
Parade payouts set for 2024
Participation in the Wood County Junior Fair Parade was changed slightly, announced Brock Abke, chair for the parade and king and queen committees. There will be three categories for the parade, including floats, bands and walking groups. Majorette groups were added to the walking groups, and equestrian units were removed because of safety concerns.
Groups that enter floats will receive $100, with the winning float to receive $150. Bands will be paid $200, with the funds going to the band boosters, and walking groups will receive $50. Parade entries are due July 12.
Nominations for the King and Queen are due by May 10, and the workshop is scheduled on May 19. Resumes and applications are due June 7 and the interviews will be held July 14. A stipulation was added to the Honors Court application that members are expected to attend a minimum number of events to be on the court.
On the fence about fencing
Dave Schultz, president of the Northwestern Ohio Tractor Pullers Association, reported the association is spending $150,000 to completely fence in their campground for safety and security reasons. He asked permission for access to replace a section of fence on the fairgrounds and also asked the fair board to pay approximately $57,000 to replace another section of fencing on its property.
The fencing they are installing is eight-foot tall black vinyl chain link fence with barbed wire at the top. “We are asking the Wood County Agricultural Society to put up the last section to totally fence in the fairgrounds, that way, anything you are doing, you would not have people just being able to drive into the campground the rest of the year,” Schultz said. “The reason we are asking to split this is that the two organizations have worked closely on projects together for the last couple of years, such as the cameras. It’s a project that would mutually benefit both of us.”
The board permitted the tractor pullers to access the one section of the fairgrounds for the fencing, but said they couldn’t afford to take on their portion of the fencing expense this year.
“We are at the high-water mark with our money right now,” said Fair Director Steve Speck. “We spent over $20,000 on different items at the last meeting. I think it’s not right to vote to spend that kind of money right now.”
“There is no way we could do it this year,” Perry agreed.
“I think it’s fair to say we will support it at some time and maybe put it in our grant request to the state,” said Nissen, referencing capital improvement grants available to county fairs. The state has allocated $10 million to the county and independent fairs to apply for projects on their fairgrounds.
In other business, the board:
– Learned that Thursday of fair week will be a sponsored day with the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities. The day—Day to Let Your Abilities Shine—will include guided tours, games and activities for individuals involved with the county developmental disabilities board, the Ring of Dreams and the concert. The WCBDD will host a sensory room all week, most likely in the Junior Fair Building, and a trailer on the grounds for changing adults and children.
– Approved $5,000 to hire a marketing intern and $5,000 for five promotional billboards in Hancock, Henry, Lucas and Sandusky counties and one other location yet to be determined.
– Asked for help promoting the Micro Wrestling event on April 13 in the Pratt Pavilion, which is a fundraiser for the Fair Foundation. Tickets are $30 for ringside (front-row ringside are sold out), and general admission tickets are $25. The event starts at 8 p.m. and the doors open at 6 p.m.
– Decided not to fill the existing fair board vacancies at this time.
– Moved the July board meeting to July 18, so as not to interfere with the intake of projects in the Fine Arts Building.
