The Thrill Is Gone : Tens of Thousands Jam County Fairgrounds on Closing Day for a Final Appeal to the Senses

No, the pony didn’t kick. It wasn’t even unfriendly. But from the horrified look on 18-month-old Dana Davis’ face, it was the pony from hell.

“This is her first time on a pony,” explained Bob Davis, who videotaped his daughter atop “Rusty,” a docile Shetland pony, as Dana screamed her way around the pony rink at the Orange County Fair on Sunday.

“She didn’t like it when she first got on. She likes dogs though,” Davis said.

Davis, 32, and his wife, Diane, 29, of Rancho Santa Margarita, took Dana, facial expressions and all, to enjoy the 102nd edition of the Orange County Fair, which ended Sunday.

The 17-day run--billed as a more user-friendly attraction this year with automated scooters, more ATM posts, and the Ejection Seat, a reverse bungee drop for the young at heart--was on its way to an overall attendance figure of about 670,000.

Russell Kibota, a fair spokesman, said attendance this year was about the same as last year’s 668,096. As of Saturday, the fair’s attendance was 607,351, below last year’s figure of 616,811 at the same time. But Kibota noted that at 3 p.m. Sunday, they had 38,001 people compared to only 23,511 last year at the same time.

This year’s favorite ride may have been the Ejection Seat, a $40-a-ride heart thumper that had had 4,700 riders as of Saturday night, Kibota said. The ride literally launches people into the air like a slingshot.

Despite the fair’s gaiety, tragedy struck July 16 when a 45-year-old Los Alamitos carnival worker touched an exposed wire while repairing lights on the Gravitron ride and was electrocuted. Cal-OSHA is still investigating the incident that took the life of Ron Vogt.

On Sunday, fair-goers enjoyed what county fairs are known for: cotton candy, hot dogs on a stick and fun.

Donna Jackson, 27, of Newport Beach, took her son, Cole, 1 1/2, on the elephant ride.

Cole’s reaction?

“He’s not saying much,” Jackson said. “I think he’s tired.”

“Actually it was fun, though kind of scary,” said Jackson’s friend, Sharon Stephen, 31, of Aliso Viejo, adding that she came to the fair to win back the money she once lost pitching quarters onto plates on the midway.

“I lost 40 bucks,” Stephen said, laughing. “But I brought extra money today. I want to win!”

The fair was a good run for vendor John Arthur Mason, 33, of Philadelphia, who hawked the Salsa Master, a hand-operated food processor. “It’s the No. 1 selling appliance in America right now.”

But dealing with some customers Sunday was troublesome.

“So I get this last-day bargain-basement buyer who wants to buy everything for a low price,” Mason said. “Well, I tell him I’m not Monty Hall, see? This is not, ‘Let’s Make a Deal.’ And, there’s nothing behind door No. 1.”

Mason said he spends 11 months on the road traveling to county and state fairs pitching Salsa Master, Ginsu knives and veggie slicers. From Orange County, it’s on to Paso Robles, then Sacramento and Dallas, he said.

Cecilia Paz, 35, of Huntington Beach, found a shady spot and relaxed eating piping-hot corn-on-the-cob.

“We’ve been seeing lots of things today,” Paz said as she and her mother, Julia Fowler, of Huntington Beach, munched away. “We’re here for the rodeo because there are horses and I love horses . . . the exhibits and the food. Of course, the food.”

At the Golden Gate Comedy Stage, “Guido” had another audience spellbound.

“OK, pick a card,” said the comedian and magician whose real name is Gary Schnell, as an audience member plucked an imaginary card from space.

“OK, put it back in the deck. Ahem, face down, PUULEASE!” he said to the roar of laughter.

“I’ll be honest,” said Schnell, 45, of San Francisco. “And, it’s not just because I work here a lot, but the Orange County Fair is one of the best places to work. It’s my seventh year here, but I do county and state fairs all over the country. For one thing, you certainly have better weather here.

“I’ll tell you something. Orange County audiences seem to be really more receptive than other audiences. I don’t know why, but maybe it’s because they’re generally aware of better entertainment and know what good entertainment is all about.”