Saturday, September 27, 2008

Welcome to the Comal County Fair!!

I had to start out with this guy. I don't know whether the bag is to keep him from eating or biting, but I couldn't pass him by without a photo. Goat number 3-24 is adorable in my opinion...love those ears...not to mention that look that begs, "PLEASE take this bag off my face."

The fair lasts for four days and is a big thing in the area. There is no school on the Friday during the fair because many of the students have livestock entries. This is my first time there and I guess I was a little disappointed. The last fair I had been to was in Milwaukee years ago and it was much bigger and cleaner. This one was smaller than I expected and just had kind of a 'junky' appearance about it. I was hoping that horses would be included in their livestock section, but no such luck...just cows, chickens and goats.

I think this fellow was acting up so I'd take his picture.

And a close-up. Who could NOT love this face.

Is that a pincher-thing in his nose or does that go all the way through?? And why is it there? I know nothing about cow-raising, so I hope there's a good reason why that ring would be in his nose.

Cow contest. Look at those girls. They look like they're about 14 and thin as a rail...and they're handling cows that weigh...I don't know...what do cows weigh?? I've never been to a cow contest before and I noticed that they all had these pole thingies they were scratching their cow's stomachs with. I guess that keeps them calm while they're in the ring.

First prize in the orchid contest...

...and in the okra contest (you can keep those)...

...and in the hay contest. Not being a farmer, it's hard for me to imagine one bale of hay being better than another. They all look the same to me.

On to the rides.


I have hated this ride ever since I was a kid. I love a good roller coaster, but I do NOT like going upside down...especially in little cages.

Same with this thing.



This little girl doesn't seem too sure about this.

And these three girls look like they're going to their deaths...or just totally bored.

This little guy cried every time the operator tried lifting him off the ground.

This girl seemed to enjoy it a little more.

But this little girl was having a blast! She was doing flips and had the biggest smile on her face. I stood and watched her for awhile because she was one of the few people at the whole fair who actually looked like she was having fun! That ponytail was flying all over the place! I felt like I should have held up a card with "10" on it when she was finished.


I thought the kiddie rides were kind of interesting because I could see a "future" in some of the riders. This little girl is destined to be a "biker babe."

And here's the next Mario Andretti.

And, you guessed it...the next Indiana Jones!

Hmmm...I don't know about these two. Frankly, they look like an old married couple on their way to the grocery store and don't have a thing to say to each other.

Then there are the carni workers. You gotta feel sorry for these guys standing out in the heat with no shade buckling and unbuckling kids all day and night.



There was literally no one at the many game booths they had. My son told me that the teenagers who go at night play these more than the family members who go during the day.


There weren't many people at the food and craft booths, either, which left attendants with a lot of dead time.


There was nothing unusual about the food at all...just typical fast food stuff. I thought they would have more German food because this is a big German area, but not so. So, the only food picture I got is of my son, Jared, with his turkey leg. He told me that the "sausage on a stick" was good, but I told him I just didn't feel right walking around eating a foot-long sausage off of a stick. He could see my point.

It was REALLY hot out there today...in the 90s...with very little shade. So I could understand this woman taking a break with her fan. I don't think I'll say anymore about that.

And the heat is also evident with the couple sitting on the front side of this bench.

Typical carni "art"...

And caricature artist...

Face painting...

And the craft booths. I was sitting on a bench waiting for my son and the owner of the metal-arts booth next to me told me that sales were terrible this year. People are eating, but they weren't buying anything. Hmmm...maybe gas prices have something to do with that??

Let's see, should I buy food and gas...or maybe these bull horns??

Or a cowboy hat for every occasion?

Or maybe this ice container made out of a big drill bit to stash all my beer!

And, finally...fair fashions. This is Texas so you're going to see boots of all types. I think they're fine when you're in a cow contest with some jeans or out on the ranch. But they just don't seem right when they're with a dress or shorts. Is that just me?

Someone put up their arm right as I was taking this picture, but maybe there was a reason for that. This girl had on the shortest shorts I think I've ever seen...and with the boots, it was just wrong. Everything happens for a reason.

Now this girl ALMOST carries it off.


This one's okay...cute little cowboy dude holding Dad's hand checkin' out the fair with a bottle of water tucked under his arm. An appropriate end to my visit to the Comal County Fair.







8 comments:

Life's a Beach! said...

Great photos! And I hated that same ride as a kid!

Ann said...

Fabulous photos! I love seeing what other fairs are like, since a good part of my life is wrapped up in ours! I think most of the cattle in your photos are beef cattle , not dairy--at least the one with several cattle & girls. I don't know alot about animals myself, but I'm learning as I go along!

Islaholic Trixie said...

When I was younger, I could ride any ride at the fair. Now I can't hardly watch a roller coaster without getting sick.
I love the animals at the fair. I wonder if they line cows up and set the hay bales across from them and let them loose. Whichever hay bale the cows go to gets the blue ribbon.LOL
Cows like piercings too. They have ear tags, nose rings...next we'll see them with udder rings!!eeewwwwww.

Isla Deb said...

Beck - My son told me that that is one of his favorites...that he tries to get it to go upside down and gets mad when it doesn't. To each his own, I guess.
Jamqueen - I can't believe how many things they give awards for at these fairs...vanilla beans, eggplants, houseplants, photographs...just about everything!
Trixie - I'm the same way with the ones that go around in circles and upside down. I can still handle an occasional roller coast although my boys won't ride with me because I scream the whole time with my eyes closed. "Cows gone wild"...could be a whole new exhibit at the fair! lol

Islagringo said...

I like this post so much I had to take notes! To answer some of your questions:

Picture #1 is actually a sheep, not a goat. The ears and the fact that it is shaved give it away. Not sure why the nosebag.

#2 & 3 are Boar goats. Did you notice that they are rather hefty and filled out? They are raised as a feed animal, much like a pig or chicken.

I believe they put those rings only in a bull's nose for leading and control purposes.

It's straw, not hay in the photo.

I don't mind being twirled really fast upside down in the air, just don't stop and leave me hanging motionless looking straight down at the ground. Hate that!

The picture of the two "married" kids in that car is priceless. Hang on to that one. It is contest worthy.

Wouldn't eating a sausage on a stick be equivalent to eating a banana in public? LOL!

Wow! A fat girl with air conditioned parts! I wonder if she can sing?

I agree with you about boots. Only with pants and preferably jeans. The woman in the black dress looks like a slutty soccer Mom.

I loved this post. Sorry if I made too many comments but it was suck a juicy post and I do love me some fairs!

Isla Deb said...

Thanks, Wayne. I wouldn't have guessed the first one was a sheep because it doesn't have curly hair...shows how much I know about farm animals! The "married" kids was probably my favorite photo...they sure don't look like they're having much fun at the fair. "Slutty soccer mom"...lol.

Scott Bulger Photography said...

Fair season is terrific for image making! Well done, I feel like I was there.

Isla Deb said...

Thanks, Scott. Five more weeks to the Wurstfest...lots of photo ops there, as well. (Not to mention bratwurst, accordians and beer.)