The Fall Fair

There's no marker of the changing seasons quite so obvious at this time of year as the Fall Fair!  Actually the one here in Markdale is fairly early; it isn't actually fall yet.  But it heralds a whole season of small town fall fairs across rural southern Ontario.

The heavy horse pull was probably the most popular event.  These enormous teams of beautiful workhorses are harnessed up to pull a stoneboat, and weight is continuously added until one team wins.  The strength in these horses is just amazing - this team looked like it has most of its feet off the ground at once!

Another of the beautiful heavy horse teams.  I can just never get enough of these magnificent animals.

There were several hours of individual riding events too, mostly populated by young girls, who obviously love their horses.  This team lined up and took off at a gallop.

But this girl twisted her horse through these posts like nothing I've ever seen, beating even the adults' time for the event.  It's very much a team of horse and rider; some beginning riders with horses who had never competed walked through this fairly slowly, concentrating on completing the course correctly rather than speed.  It takes a lot of competing to win the prizes!

There was the cattle show too, with lots of young people showing off the calves they're raised - in this case beef cattle.

I always enjoy seeing the cattle lined up waiting their turns in the pens.

And there were fun events for the little kids, including this young man we know, chasing bubbles!

The indoor displays are harder to photograph, but their are lots of them.  Dozens of arrangements of flowers.

And a lot of vegetable displays. Attending the fall fair is a great way to connect with the rural farm community around here; I always learn a lot and enjoy it - such a strong tradition among farm families.

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