Mabel Primps, Pug Prevails at Kickoff of Annual Fair

Thursday’s beauty treatment for Mabel the pig began with a long, soothing soak in the tub, followed by a scrubbing with special shampoo. Mabel’s black-and-white hair was allowed to dry in the sun. Then, her regimen continued with a rubdown of baby oil and baby powder to bring out gleaming highlights that might catch the eyes of livestock judges.

That was the glamour agenda for Mabel and dozens of other pigs in competition at the San Fernando Valley Fair, which kicked off with a parade, food and game-of-chance booths, carnival rides and competitions for everything from livestock to the prettiest quilt.

The fair will continue through Sunday at the North Campus of California State University, Northridge, at 18000 Devonshire St.

It began with a short parade through Granada Hills, the start of which was delayed about 20 minutes while parade officials waited for someone to bring the sign for the grand marshals. Finally, they gave up and made a sign by hand with felt-tipped pens.

Cub Scouts, Beauty Queens

Marching down Devonshire Street to the fairgrounds were small groups of Cub Scouts, clowns, Brownies, Girl Scouts, gymnasts turning handstands and a Dixieland jazz band. Also represented were Misses Granada Hills, Northridge, Tarzana, Sylmar, Sunland-Tujunga, Van Nuys, Reseda, the 1985 California Honey Queen, Miss Royal San Fernando Valley and the 4-H Club princesses and queen.

Soon after the procession entered the fairgrounds, the loudspeaker announced an unusual “live” event: a mother La Mancha-breed goat named Lila was giving birth to twin kids. Children watched wide-eyed as the mother licked her two newborns’ sticky black fur. Within minutes, the kids began trying to stand on shaky legs.

Children gathered around the pen fired questions at their own mothers.

‘Mother Nature Cooperated’

The fair’s livestock superintendent, Della Frazier, had arranged to have the pregnant goat at the fair after learning that the goat was due to give birth this week. “Mother Nature cooperated,” she said a few minutes after the birth. “It’s a definite educational thing as far as adults and children are concerned. A lot of people have never seen a new birthing.”

Around the fairgrounds, people like Mabel the pig’s owner, James Voss, 15, of Northridge, were preparing their beef, sheep, swine, rabbits, guinea pigs, roosters and hens for competition.

“You ever give a dog a bath? It’s just like that except you’ve got to use tearless shampoo,” James said as he scrubbed down the 5-month-old pig.

All James’ effort, however, did not translate into victory in the porcine beauty contest. Mabel was declared the No. 1 pig, but in “Group 2.” A fair official said that meant the animal was “above average, but no grand champion.”

Across the grounds, Rebecca Ritchie of Reseda carefully daubed black shoe polish on the hoofs of “Baby,” her 16-month-old Black Angus steer. Baby’s tail was in a plastic bag--to keep the dirt out--and Rebecca rubbed spray adhesive on the steer’s rump to give the hair the curly look that judges like.

Takes 2nd Place

A half hour later, big tears dripped down Betsy Hartley’s cheeks as the judge pronounced her 17-month-old steer, Pug, the reserve grand champion, the title for second place.

Despite the tears, Betsy, 16, of San Dimas, kept up the relaxing pattern of strokes on Pug’s big belly with a long metal prong until she led him from the arena.

“He’s always been my favorite,” she said. “He’s got a personality all his own. He’s very inquisitive. He’s never mean to me. He always comes to me. He’s one of my best friends. It’s love.”

Betsy, who has raised Pug since he was 8 months old, explained that animals are judged on “confirmation,” or the animal’s form, and “coverage,” which is the amount of white fat that will cover the meat when the animal is slaughtered.

Death to Be Pug’s Fate

Betsy said that is soon to be Pug’s fate.

“I know what you’re going to say. How can I do that?” she said. “Sunday night we load them onto the auction trucks to take them to the slaughterhouse. I know I’ll be here bawling. I am very emotionally attached to these things but he’s gotten to have a good life and it would be selfish for me to just keep him and let him die at my house.”

Betsy hopes to get $1 for each of Pug’s 1,089 pounds. She plans to plow the money back into livestock. “My big dream is to buy a Hereford heifer,” she said.