Imagine, a Goat That Won’t Bathe : Children, Animals in Spotlight at County Fair

Evan Gayden hasn’t missed an opening of the Orange County Fair in his 10 years.

So he was elated when, seconds after noon Friday, he bolted through the gate and became the first official visitor to the 94th edition of the county fair.

“I’ve been to every single fair since I was born. I wouldn’t miss this for anything,” said the Tustin boy, who had waited for two hours for a day of carnival rides with his two pals.

The fair opened for its 10-day run amid clear skies and comfortable temperatures just under 80 degrees. Fair organizers are predicting a record crowd of 375,000, about 12,000 more than a year ago.

Fair spokesman Norb Bartosik said that opening day, which was free to children 12 and under, was the best ever. In the first four hours, 7,792 people entered the fairgrounds, compared with 4,912 during the first four hours in 1985.

“I’m tickled with it,” Bartosik said. “Everything is ready, and the weather is just really good.”

But not all of the children were there for fun. Holly Horst, 10, of Perris, was hard at work bathing and grooming her three prize Toggenburg goats.

The job was so large for the member of the Perris Panthers 4-H Club that she had to recruit her friend Rick Pepper, 12, to help. The three goats have to be well groomed by early today when the livestock judges evaluate them.

This is Horst’s second fair, and she is hoping to repeat the success she had last year when Dumpling, now a yearling, was judged the junior champion in her breed.

Blossom, a pesky 6-month-old goat who refused to stand still for her bath, has the opportunity to win Dumpling’s title.

“I really like to show them,” Horst said. Raising her prize goats is tough duty and takes up much of her free time, she said, “But it’s fun, too.”

Although Dumpling moves up to another class, she is not assured of another championship. Topaz, another Toggenburg owned by Michele Wheet of Diamond Bar is back to defend the crown.

Wheet, 18, was having a bit of trouble Friday afternoon keeping Topaz’s first offspring, a 2-week-old named Diamond, from roaming among the crowds.

“He’s a little excited. It’s his first fair,” Wheet said.

The Children’s Barnyard, where youngsters are allowed to pet pigs, chickens, ducks and miniature ponies, was a center of activity on opening day. The barnyard, run by the Future Farmers of America chapter from Buena Park High School, has been a popular display at the fair for the past five years.

On Friday, Greg Emerson, 15, helped children catch and properly hold chicks and other small animals, making sure none were squeezed too hard.

“Most of them are gentle, they just need to be told how to handle them,” Emerson said.