SPENCER — The Owen County 4-H Fair is in full swing.
And for the 86th year in a row, Betty Blaker has an entry on display at the community building at the fairgrounds in Spencer. Her first 4-H Fair contest came when she was old enough to officially join the club at age 10.
Blaker hasn't missed exhibiting at her hometown fair since. And despite some health issues she's working to overcome, the 96-year-old asked a friend to submit her 2024 entry.
"I was just a girl when I first entered at the fair, and I'm sure not going to stop any time soon," Blaker said last week.
She used to grow a big garden and canned fruits and vegetables for the winter. Blaker exhibited her preserved foods and produce at the Owen County Fair year after year. In 2013, she tapped maple syrup from the trees on her property and won a top award.
Her late husband, Milo, liked entering the fair as well. His last entry was in 2009, when at age 88 he won grand champion honors for his shell-out beans. The Evening-World ran a picture of him sitting in a chair holding his plate of dried beans.
From 2017:Owen County's Betty Blaker is one determined woman
Owen County 4-H Fair organizer Cassie Abrell confirmed Betty Blaker's longevity at the fair. And she's not surprised by the feat. Her grandmother, Geneva Stevens, lived to be 104 and exhibited at the Monroe County Fair until she was 98 years old. "Some of our women, they live for the fair," she said from the commercial building Friday afternoon.
Events scheduled nightly
Fair organizers scheduled special Main Arena events each night of the 4-H fair except for Sunday. Entry fee for most is $10 for adults and less for children. Check the Owen County Fairgrounds' Facebook page for more details.
The horse and pony pulls were on Saturday, and mud volleyball was Monday's event.
Tuesday, hog wrestling is to kick off at 8 p.m. Wednesday's event is a rodeo, which starts at 7 p.m. The truck and tractor pull is at 8 p.m. Thursday and quad races are Friday night starting at 8. The fair's biggest draw will be the demolition derby, scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, July 13.
The carnival midway opens each night at 6 p.m. Armbands are $28 for all-ride access.
This coming Friday night at 8, there will be a line dancing party at the fairgrounds' poultry barn. The cost is $5 per person; children 6 and younger attend for free.
The Owen County 4-H Fairgrounds is located at 364 S. East St. Look for the giant rooster statue near the entrance. The fair comes to life in the evenings, when parking is $3.
But animal exhibits and some food booths are open during the day for people who want to tour the grounds and see 4-H animals and other projects — including Blaker's dry beans — on display in the air-conditioned community building.
Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.
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