Getting Ready for the May Fair

By Brianna Boyd

Special to Dixon Patch

Youth exhibitors from throughout Solano County came to the Dixon May Fair Saturday morning, Jan. 14, to have their steers ear tagged for the 137th annual fair.

Trucks pulling trailers with animals inside came from Dixon, Rio Vista, Vacaville and beyond for the annual ear tagging that began at 9 a.m. Just after 10 a.m., a steady line of trailers were inside the fairground’s livestock area. By the end of the hour, fair officials reported the number of steers tagged for this year’s fair already exceeded last year’s totals.

A total of 22 steers were ear tagged for the Dixon May Fair on Saturday, three more than the 19 tagged last year. Four were also tagged for the Solano County Fair in August. As per state guidelines, all steers in the Dixon May Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction must be tagged at least 120 days before the start of the event.

As long as the animal cooperated, most of the tagging Saturday morning took 10 minutes or less. Each exhibitor removed his or her steer from the trailer and led him to a squeeze shoot, which not only made it easier to tag the animal, but was also a safety precaution because the steer could not move or harm anyone. Once fair officials finished tagging, the animal was weighed and led back to its trailer.

The Dixon May Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction is open to any Solano County youth between the ages of nine and 18, but typically, only teenagers raise steers for the event, said exhibits coordinator Sandy Bonesteel. Besides the added expense of caring for such a large animal, there are more challenges to raise them, including the time needed to halter break them.

The youth who are raising steers for this year’s May Fair have had their animals for some time already, Bonesteel added, and most have been training their steers for months.

This is Ashtin Bechtold’s third year raising steers for the May Fair and her first year with two at one time. The 17-year-old Dixon teen has also entered pigs in the fair since she was nine years old. Raising a steer, she said, is a great learning experience. Every day, she spends time with them, washing and walking the animals, and training them. 

“They’re a lot bigger than the other animals,” she said. “Once you get them trained though, they’re like a big dog.”

Lauren Kett, 17, also from Dixon, is raising her first steer. She has entered pigs, sheep, goats and rabbits in the fair in the past, and wanted to raise a steer for her final year.

“It’s a lot more work, but I like it,” she said, adding that she has also spent time researching steers and heifers to learn more about the animals. “I’ve wanted to raise one for awhile. It’s my senior year and I thought I’d end it with a steer.”

Jack Cronin, 17, and his brother, Blake, 13, both from Rio Vista, have been showing steers in the May Fair for years. Blake Cronin entered his first steer in the fair when he was nine years old. He is comfortable with the animals, and works with his steer every day.

When asked what he likes best about raising such a large animal, Blake simply replied, “everything”.

“They’re bigger,” he said, “and more challenging.”

The May Fair has also set the date for ear tagging for market goat and sheep. Those animals will be tagged between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on March 10.  4-H leaders, FFA advisors or market hog leaders can pick up ear tags prior to the March 10 date, and swine can be tagged outside the fairgrounds. Tags and paperwork will be available for pick up in the office from Feb. 27 to March 5, and must be returned no later than March 7.

The 137th annual Dixon May Fair will open on Thursday, May 10 and entertain thousands of visitors through Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13.  For more information, visit www.dixonmayfair.com.