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Goats, art, a rodeo

Sac County Fair offers a variety of activities

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Spike, an English bulldog owned by Nicole Foote, of Sac City, enjoys a cool drink of bottled water during the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon.

SAC CITY — Nicole Foote, of Sac City, was prepping her English bulldog, Spike, for a dog show at the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon.

“He’s a puppy,” she said. “He doesn’t know too much, yet.”

In the show, the dogs are asked to sit, heel, lie down, and stay, according to Foote.

“I am not saying he can do all that,” she said.

Foote was confident, however, that Spike would eventually become a very obedient dog.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Cadey Vohs, 11, of Galva, holds a baby goat inside the Meyer Petting Zoo at the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon.

“It’s all about the time you spend with them,” Foote said.

Spike was a natural at drinking water from a bottle as demonstrated by Foote.

“We taught him that,” said Foote’s daughter, HaleyJo Foote, 10.

“We spoil him on bottled water,” Nicole Foote added.

Her other daughter, MaKayla Foote, 16, was also there to help.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Luke Braunschweig, 8, of Schaller, looks on during the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon. Braunschweig won the Little Mister Sac County contest at the fair.

“Hopefully he behaves,” MaKayla Foote said.

Elsewhere at the fair, sisters Jaycie Vohs, 12; Cadey Vohs, 11; and Tiegan Vohs, 9; of Galva, were enjoying themelves at the Meyer Petting Zoo.

“I just really like goats — baby goats,” Cadey Vohs said. “Every year when there is a petting zoo, I pet the animals.”

She said the animals are quite nice.

“I like how they are really soft,” Cadey Vohs said. “They are really tame, too.”

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Flash, a young calf at the Sac County Fair, was a little sleepy Friday afternoon in the Meyer Petting Zoo.

She said her family started coming to the Sac County Fair last year.

“We also go to the Clay, Ida, and State Fair,” she said.

Tiegan Vohs liked the goats, but she wasn’t sure she would want to live with one.

“They poop a lot, though, so,” she said. “Not sure I would want one in my room.”

In the zoo, a calf named Flash grew tired and decided to rest.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Noah Althiser, 10, of Sac City, was ready to test drive this John Deere tractor at the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon.

Brady Meyer, of Holstein, said Flash is usually a ball of energy.

“At home whenever we let him out in the yard, he just sprints across the whole yard,” he said. “He loves to play.”

Meyer’s parents, Boyd and Lenore Meyer, run the the zoo.

“Mom and dad have been doing this 22 years,” he said. “I’ve just kind of been forced into it the past 19 years.”

His parents also offer pony rides.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Tiegan Vohs, 9, of Galva, pets a sheep during the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon.

“I just stick with the goats,” he said. “The goats are nicer.”

James Denkins, of Cooks, Michigan, had a tent set up where he was working on carving a bench.

Denkins is a chain saw artist. He travels across the world to show off his skills.

“I have been carving for 35 to 40 years,” he said. “Always as a hobby.”

Denkins said he retired from a career in welding.

“Anymore I use it for therapy,” he said.

On most pieces, Denkins said he spends an hour with the chain saw before doing some burning and sanding.

At some competitions, he said artists can spend up to 30 hours on a piece.

“At home in the winter, I like to do human figures,” he said. “A cowgirl or a mermaid, something like that.”

He added, “Anything challenging, and that’s a challenge.”

Luke Braunschweig, 8, of Schaller, was walking around the fair with his cousin, Blake Myrtue, 10, of Holstein.

They stopped by to watch Denkins work.

Luke Braunschweig won the Little Mister Sac County contest.

“I got second last year,” he said.

In terms of how he won the competition, he said had to give a speech and play “a bunch of games.”

“You get judged,” he said.

Braunschweig and his cousin had gotten a taste of a little bit of everything at the fair.

“All the rides,” Myrtue said. “The rodeo, figure 8s, the pig show, laser tag. Now we are going to get some ice cream.”

The fair ends today.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Nicole Foote, of Sac City, plays with Spike, an English bulldog, prior to the dog show at the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon. Foote’s daughter, HaleyJo, 10, is shown behind.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Cal McCollough, 9, of Wall Lake, in blue, and Sam Schmitt, 12, also of Wall Lake, reach in to pet a pig during the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon in Sac City. Colson Kies, 10, of Lakeview, and Carson Schmitt, of Wall Lake, are also pictured.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Nadia Meyer, 4, of Sac City, is all smiles during a pony ride at the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon. Lenore Meyer looks on. The two are not related.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
A wood carving of a pig is shown in front as James Denkins, of Cooks, Michigan, gets to work on his next piece during the Sac County Fair Friday afternoon.

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