Truck pull, livestock shows held Friday

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert County Fair moves into its third day following a big day for veterans, senior citizens and kids on Thursday.

Thursday was a special day for those three groups, and especially for veterans and seniors, who were provided free admission into the fair, as well as doughnuts in the morning and a special program and parade for veterans.

Veterans were also served free bean soup and cornbread in the Music Pavilion at lunchtime.

Several livestock events were also held on Thursday, including the Junior Fair Sheep Show and Horse Contesting. Harness racing also got underway in front of the grandstand.

Today’s events include the Senior Fair Horse and Senior Fair Stock Horse shows, the Junior Fair Dairy Show, Junior Fair Rabbit Show, and Junior Fair Pleasure Horse Show, as well as 4-H presentations.

The singles 100 horseshoe tournament also gets underway at the horseshoe courts.

Entertainment for Friday includes Mark Bishop at 6 p.m. and Karen Peck & New River at 7 this evening, both in the Music Pavilion.

The COPTA Truck & Tractor Pull-Mini Rods show will be held in front of the grandstand, starting at 7 p.m. Friday.

Saturday will also bring a number of livestock shows and other popular events to the fair.

The Dairy Feeder Show will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in the Farm Focus Arena, while a Senior Fair Open Class Ponies and Draft Horses Show will be held in the Senior Fair Horse Arena.

The Junior Fair Beef Show will begin at noon on Saturday, while the Senior Fair Rabbit Show beings at 10 a.m. in the Rabbit Barn.

The Senior Fair Stock Horse Show is scheduled to start at noon in the Senior Fair Horse Arena.

Also on tap for Saturday is the popular cheerleading contest, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. in front of the grandstand, and feature a number of cheerleading age divisions.

A Kiddie Tractor Pull will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, with sign-up beginning at noon near the Agriculture Building.

Horseshoe will also be on tap for Saturday, with a double-elimination tournament beginning at 9 a.m., with singles horseshoe contest to run from 1-6 p.m.

Bruiser Wrestling will be held at 4 p.m. in the Junior Fair Building area, while the Van Wert Area Community Band will play at 4 that afternoon in the Music Pavilion.

St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church will hold a church service in the Music Pavilion, starting at 5:45 p.m. Saturday, while an Animal Dress Up Contest will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Farm Focus Arena.

The prime event for the grandstand on Saturday will be motocross racing, which begins at 7 p.m. that evening.

Other musical entertainment for Saturday includes the Soul’d Out Quartet at 7 p.m. and Nut Flush at 9 p.m. in the Music Pavilion.