After 12 Days, County Fair Concludes on a High Note

The duties of tending to her award-winning steer slowed down Sunday for Nicole Guriel.

After all, the walking, feeding, grooming and showing of James Bond, the 1,257-pound Maine Anjou “Angus” Cross that won the Grand Champion prize, was exhausting.

“Even though I’m tired, I’m sad it’s over,” the 15-year-old Simi Valley resident said of the Ventura County Fair.

The 12-day event may have wrapped up Sunday night, but Seaside Park was packed with thousands of people who came for everything from the rodeo to the rides.

Attendance was up more than 5.5% this year, although a final head count was unavailable Sunday, said Devlin Raley, fair publicist. “We absolutely know that attendance this year has been remarkable,” Raley said.

But exactly why more than 244,000 people flocked to the ocean side fairgrounds is tough to pinpoint. Raley has a few guesses: good weather, a tidier appearance and popular musical acts like the Beach Boys and Peter Frampton.

Frampton’s performance brought Mike Clinton of Ventura to the fair for the first time, and his niece from Orange County made him come back a second time on Sunday. Lara Clinton of Laguna Niguel said she didn’t mind driving two counties north to see her uncle and indulge in the festivities.

She munched roasted corn on the cob while he nursed a beer. That was the extent of the advance planning for the pair.

“I’ll go booth to booth eating,” she said.

Michael George of Los Angeles was on a different mission. The Camarillo native had promised girlfriend Nancy O’Brien that he would win her a stuffed animal.

After George fulfilled his duties by winning a jumbo blue dog named Tommy in a game of darts, the couple strolled through the park and enjoyed the rides.

“I try to come back every year,” said George, 37, whose parents still live in the area. “It brings back memories.”

By today, the 1999 county fair will be just another memory. And so will its scores of events that are summertime staples--nightly fireworks, midway games, 4-H competitions, rodeo, popular musical acts, local exhibits and special events each day.

Sunday was no exception.

“The reality is we have geared up on closing day . . . to make sure there is as much to do as on opening day,” said Raley.

Cheerleaders faced off in a competition, won by a squad from Oxnard High School. Staff members decorated their golf carts and celebrated the end of the fair with a parade. And the top winners in the livestock competitions marched through the rodeo ring in their own parade.

Near the front of the parade line was Nicole Guriel, who sold her steer James Bond for $11 a pound to 21 different buyers, who all agreed to donate the meat to Food Share, a local food bank charity. After the parade, Nicole escorted her steer back into his cage and then decided to take a break and enjoy a few of the rides.

“It’s been a long week,” she said.