Fair opens with ribbon-cutting

A double ribbon-cutting ceremony and the showing of hogs and dairy goats highlighted the opening of the 60th annual Porterville Fair on Wednesday.

For the first time in several years, the hog show was moved to coincide with the opening of the fair. In previous years, it was always held the day prior to opening day.

“It is the best day in the whole world to watch my grand kids succeed,” said Sally Oxford as she watched her two grandsons, Kyle and Tyson Brem, show hogs. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world but right here.”

Oxford beamed as she talked about her grandchildren’s success. Kyle Brem, 15, won Intermediate FFA Showmanship — qualifying him for the round-robin event, and Tyson Brem, 10, won Reserve Champion Hampshire.

“I’ve been showing [hogs] since I was a little kid,” Tyson said. “I’ve done well at [pre fair] Jackpot showings but never at a fair. Never like this.”

Oxford said she looks forward to the fair and never misses a show.

Margaret Hughes also watched as her grandson, Chad Hughes, showed his hog.

“This teaches them responsibility, and sportsmanship, because not everyone is a winner,” said Margaret Hughes.

The FFA and 4-H students are very supportive of each other. If their friends win, they all celebrate, she said.

“The friends they make during the fair are friends for life,” said Margaret Hughes.

Hughes also said she met her husband, Marvin, at the fair. Marvin Hughes showed animals at the Porterville Fair during the 1950s and early 1960s. And their son and daughter showed during the 1970s and 1980s, she said.

As the shows continued, Susie Godfrey, consultant to the fair’s board of directors, said everything had been running smoothly, and she prepared for the official opening of the fair — the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Plenty of dignitaries were on hand for the noontime double ribbon-cutting ceremonies — one to signal the start of the fair and the other to commemorate the fair’s new partnership with Butler Entertainment.

“Probably the vast majority of us can not remember a year in Porterville without the Porterville Fair,” said John Snavely, chairman of the Porterville Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

And, with the Junior Fair board, visiting dignitaries, and city ambassadors surrounding him, John Corkins, president to the Porterville Fair’s board, cut the first ribbon as the fair was declared officially open.

A second ribbon was cut after some words by Butch Butler, owner of Butler Entertainment, who said he wanted to dedicate the carnival and fair to the families of Vera Lopez and Augustina Martinez for their involvement with Butler, and the many years of service they have provided.

But prior to the ribbon-cutting, several proclamations and a certificate of recognition were offered by representatives of the City of Porterville, Tulare County, Congressman Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, Assemblyman Bill Maze, R-Visalia, and State Senator Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield.

“I was 3 years old when the first fair was held in Porterville. It brings the whole community together and really shows what Porterville is all about,” said Tulare County Dist. 5 Supervisor Mike Ennis. “This is the only fair in California that does not have money given to it to keep it moving. It’s all community based.”

-- Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1047 or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.