Passing the barnyard torch
Fair athletes burn off stress of competitionBy ANGELA BURCH, Messenger staff writer
Article Photos
It's not an obstacle course for the faint of heart - or those afraid to get dirty.
The Barnyard Olympics at the Webster County Fair Thursday proved to be a true test of stamina and agility for those willing to give it a shot. Youths of all ages ran the course in the show arena at the Webster County Fairgrounds, ending up covered in dirt and soap.
It's not that easy to carry a soapy watermelon while running through a tire drill, according to 10-year-old Patrick Carter. The first-year Olympian said the watermelon carry was the toughest part of the course, but it was also the most fun. With intense faces and crowds cheering them on, each team member had to run the entire course before tagging the next member in.
The hay bale carry might not have been as easy as it looked as competitors carried, pushed or pulled the hay bale to the first hurdle they had to clear. Once they got over the makeshift fence, they had to run to the other side of the arena carrying a plastic egg in a spoon. Then they had to toss a hula hoop around a bucket.
The egg carry and the bucket hoop are new events added to this year's Barnyard Olympics.
Classes were divided by age. Each team of five had to make it through all of the obstacles.
Nicole Sandven, 17, has been helping run the Olympics for the past three years. Each year she soaps the watermelons. This year, she caught falling eggs, as well.
"The best part is when the older people compete," Sandven said. "They get really competitive."
Every year, the events are "tweaked" a little to make the races more fun. For instance, dressing in farm attire - complete with gloves and a hat - is a component that did not make the cut after the first year.
Linda Cline, Webster County 4-H and youth coordinator, said the Barnyard Olympics are a way for the kids to unwind after a full day of showing their animals.
"We've always had a good crowd and it gives the kids something fun to do at the end of the day," Cline said.
All in all, it might not have been the most relaxing way to end a day at the fair, but the participants gave it everything they had left until the moment they slapped the table, the sign for the next team member to take off.
Contact Angela Burch at (515) 573-2141 or aburch@messengernews.net
