Iowa State Fair puts spotlight on horses, chickens, and honeybees

DES MOINES, Iowa — At the Iowa State Fair there are opportunities for young people to compete and also to see lots of things involving animals.

That was the case on Tuesday when the Jacobsen Center hosted a Belgian Horses competition for young people in the showmanship competition.

“You have to have your eyes on the judge all the time and you want to make sure the judge can see all the angles of your horses body,” said Mya Ridgley, of Rockwell City. “He’s been out all morning, he had a photo shoot this morning so he’s getting a little tired of being out.”

At the Animal Learning Center, families came in droves to see animals small and large. One hit was the baby chicks.

“I just like that they’re cute and well they’re adorable. I just like because they grow to be adult chickens they make eggs, which are yummy,” said second grader Leah Garey, Richfield MN. “They’re also adorable when they’re babies and somehow I just like the chickens as they get older.”

In the Iowa Agriculture Building, the Iowa Honey Producers have a large booth. On Tuesday they were demonstrating different food recipes that used honey. There is also a chance to sample and buy different honey flavors, and there is a competition for honey producers. Some bring small bee colonies in for a judging competition.

“So we bring the displays in and the main reason for bringing the displays is for, they’re actually judged,” said Steve Hamlyn from Ames. You’ll notice there’s ribbon on them and they judge them on the honey at the top.”

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