Small animal costume contest a hit at Ashtabula County Fair

JEFFERSON — Creative juices were flowing Friday at the Ashtabula County Fair as about 20 4-H’ers and their animals participated in the small animal costume contest.

Turkeys, chickens, goats, rabbits, ducks and their owners competed to win a blue ribbon for best costume on the fourth day of fair.

“You all look great,” said Brooke Meyers, first attendant to the queen in Junior Fair Royalty Court for 2023. “I’m not this creative.”

Judges perused all the costumes, which included a rooster costume, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs goats, a flower bouquet of goats, a fairy duck, a Lady Liberty goat, Little Red Riding Hood rabbit, a welder chicken and a bride with her goat groom.

Eli Hanusosky, 9, took top honors dressed as Col. Sanders, while carrying his chicken in a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket.

Maci Carlson of Conneaut dressed as a welder with her chicken and came in third place.

Grace Krejsa, 11, wore a lovely white bride’s dress and her groom — a turkey — wore a top hat and tux to win sixth place.

Jerry Fallon, 10, dressed his rabbit like Little Red Riding Hood in a custom-made costume.

Delaney Distel didn’t win a prize but garnered lots of laughs with her big rooster costume because shen she walked, she waddled.

Over by the animal barns, Grace Dzura, 12, of Jefferson, donned a pink cowgirl hat while drinking a fresh-squeezed lemonade.

“I show steers in 4-H,” she said. “I like showing animals and hanging out with friends at the fair.”

By the Star Wars funhouse, 9-year-old Maddie Burns was ready to ride the carnival rides, which start at 1 p.m. today and Sunday.

The Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office kicked off the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, with Sheriff William Niemi strongly encouraging people to “don’t drink and drive. Safety is our goal.”

Seven local law enforcement officers joined Niemi for the kickoff.

Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Murphy said of the 13 fatals in Ashtabula County this year, seven have been alcohol-related.

“Use a sober driver,” Andover Chief Chris Baker said.

Geneva-on-the-Lake Officer Jason Keeler said, “We have lots of taxis at the lake.”

For the fourth day in a row, sunny skies prevailed again, drawing a huge crowd to the fairgrounds.

Rodeo fans started arriving in the afternoon for the 7 p.m. show.

Today, the market livestock sale starts at 11 a.m. in the Show Arena and is expected to draw hundreds of folks to the fair, as everything from cheese, turkeys, steers, sheep and steers are auctioned off.

TODAY AT THE FAIR

• 9 a.m. — Junior Fair Walk-Trot Fun Show.

• 10 a.m. — Open Class Goat show

• 11 a.m. — Market Livestock Sale

• 4 p.m. — Junior Fair Dog demonstration and awards

• 6:30 p.m. — Power Wheels

• 7:30 p.m. — Derbydog Demolition Derby