By Kristin Rover
Sun staff

The Clermont County Fair is more than just a week of fun and entertainment for dozens of 4-H members throughout the county.

Many children participate in the royalty program, animal showmanship classes, demonstration contests, and more, and spend most of the week working hard to complete projects that they have spent months preparing for.

“Clubs start in January, and those kids pretty much start on their projects at that point,” Kelly Royalty, 4-H youth coordinator for the Clermont County Extension Office, said. “They’ve put months of time into a project.”

Projects range from photography to dairy cattle showmanship, and children have a variety of requirements to meet with their projects before they are judged.

“If they have a livestock project, they are responsible for the feeding and care of the animal,” Royalty said. “They also have to get out and work with that animal.”

Luke Ortega, 9, of Batavia, showed goats during the fair and said he feeds his goats, gives them water, washes them, cleans their hooves, and practices walking them and making them stand before the fair.

Luke said he enjoys being able to show the goats.

“It’s fun and you get ribbons,” he said.

Luke’s mother, Karen Crawford, said showing goats has been a great experience for Luke.

“It will make him a better person,” Crawford said about participating. “As far as responsibility and making him work hard.”

Aaron Prescott, 12, said showing cattle takes a lot of preparation, but it pays off because he enjoys showing.

“For me it’s going out there and trying your best and having fun,” Prescott said. “But winning makes it much better.”

Prescott said the other fun thing about showing is just sitting around with his animal and hanging out with his friends.

Royalty said children can participate in other projects including woodworking, lawn care, shooting sports, gardening, baking, and many more.

“You name it we have it,” Royalty said. “And if we don’t have it, we have self determined projects and the youth can create their own.”

Royalty said many of the children also complete multiple projects each year.

Many of the projects are scored or judged in the weeks leading up to the fair and during the fair. Children bring in their projects and present their work to judges.

“We hold those early so kids can participate in state fair,” Royalty said about the judging.

Royalty said so far they have 80 nominations for state fair, which overlaps the Clermont County Fair by a couple of days.

The Ohio State Fair is held at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus from July 24 to Aug. 4.

Royalty said the 4-H members enjoy presenting their projects and showing in front of judges and the crowds at the county and state fairs.

“That is what keeps a lot of kids going is the feedback they get from a finished project,” Royalty said. “They hear a lot of people saying they did a great job.”

Royalty said it is also nice to have junior fair during the county fair because it helps them get the word out about the 4-H clubs available to children in the county.

Royalty said after state fair, the clubs will have a bit of the break before end of the year parties and awards, then they will begin ramping up for next year.

“It is definitely a year-round activity,” Royalty said.

She said anyone interested in participating in 4-H can contact her at royalty.9@osu.edu or (513) 732-7070. For more information about Clermont County Extension, visit www.clermont.osu.edu.