It’s a World of Hobbies at the Fair

With thousands and thousands of exhibits to view at the Ventura County Fair, some don’t get as much attention as others.

Sure, everyone wants to see the quilting, photography and livestock on display, but not everyone makes it to some of the lesser-known exhibits that, nevertheless, have their own loyal supporters.

The fair is also home to a variety of quirky attractions, including a stuffed raccoon collection, a beauty contest for fish and a poultry showmanship event--not unlike a dog or cat show, but for chickens.

The dimly lit Fishes & Friends exhibit near the main entrance of Seaside Park is characterized by fluorescent lights and creative aquarium displays. On Thursday, visitors could vote for the ugliest fish in the exhibit. Across the hall, hundreds of people put their various collections and hobbies on display. Clubs promoting stamp collecting, model railroading, genealogy and astronomy occupied their own corners of the pavilion.

The varied collectibles included such themes as alligators, flamingos, rubber duckies, cookie cutters and joker playing cards. Everyone collects something, said Bob Stultz, the hobby building’s superintendent.

“There’s so many of them, we cannot get them all in,” Stultz said.

The building was especially busy on Tuesday, when seniors taking advantage of free admission jammed into the genealogy area, he said. Over in the floriculture pavilion, landscapers designed creative arrangements incorporating greenery, flowers and water. One setting incorporated various recycled materials, including old tires used as flower planters and a toilet fountain.

Adults and kids alike competed in a contest that combines creativity with traditional etiquette: table setting. The contest has been going on for about 15 years, said Sonja Musgrove, the contest’s chairwoman.

The fair chooses two themes, and contestants design place settings based on the themes. Judges rate the entries in six categories, such as adherence to theme and how functional they are. “It’s just a different form of creativity,” Musgrove said.

The entrants take a topic like “the perfect date” and work from there. Judges mark points off for everything from using the wrong length of tablecloth to not having cup handles positioned correctly.

If that sounds tough, imagine the difficulty of trying to teach your Rhode Island red to walk in a straight line. Members of various 4-H clubs gathered Thursday to test their proficiency in the youth poultry showmanship competition. It’s a one-person finishing school for fowl.

Maria Berryman, 9, of Agoura, made last-minute adjustments to her red pyle old English rooster, Duke. Judges rated Duke and his fellow feathered friends on their appearance, posing and walking--as well as on the poise, appearance and knowledge of the birds’ young handlers.

Duke, who sported a red comb, a long white tail and a brown shawl of feathers, was good at posing, but needed work on his walking, Maria said.

Chicken Noodle, a mixed-breed hen belonging to Tara Pennington of Moorpark, also had trouble stepping along in a straight line.

“What I’m practicing now is walking and she’s not very good at it,” said Tara, 17, as she poked her pet with a metal prod. “We haven’t been practicing as much.”

The various exhibits will remain open through the fair’s close on Sunday. Starting tonight, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn. takes over the grandstand arena for three nights.