Merced County Fair Gives Out Honors
By Diane Booth Conway,
Merced County Fair Communications & Marketing Director

The 2008 Merced County Fair is a memory but the 117^th annual event would not have been possible without all the folks behind-the-scenes who worked hard to put on a quality community showcase. Some groups and individuals were singled out for awards in recognition of their outstanding efforts.

The fair’s board of directors selected Bruce Erickson of Amsterdam and Lloyd Pareira Jr. of Snelling, to receive the 2008 Blue Ribbon Award, the highest honor offered by the Western Fairs Association. The Association is the non-profit trade association serving the fair industry throughout the Western United States and Canada. A third Blue Ribbon Award went to Janice Wilkerson, of Mercy Medical Center, who oversees the fair’s Lost Children’s Booth.

Other awards given out during the fair included the Junior Livestock Auction committee Awards. The committee named Taylor Backhoe Service of Winton “Buyer of the Year” for the auction. Andy and Janet Taylor were honored for their longtime support of the annual livestock auction held the Saturday of fair week.

Sam Bettencourt, CEO of Stanislaus Farm Supply, and his wife, Louise, received the Outstanding Service Award from the Junior Livestock Auction Committee. The Bettencourts, who have farm supply stores in Merced and Modesto, were honored for their commitment to buying animals at the auction for more than 30 years, said Jaime Farao, chairman of the Auction Committee.

“Over the years, the Bettencourts have purchased many animals at all of our sales – the rabbit auction, dairy replacement sale and junior livestock auction,” Farao said, adding, “They bid on animals to keep the prices up, so these kids can make a profit.”

The 2008 Blue Ribbon Award was given to Bruce Erickson for his longtime dedication to the fair. For 30 years, Erickson, a salesman at Kirby Manufacturing, the Merced farm machinery company, has been the driving force behind the buyers’ dinner that follows the Junior Livestock Auction, said fair board member, Jim Cunningham. The barbecue spread has become a tradition  to thank the people who support the 4-H, FFA and independent exhibitors by purchasing their market animals at the annual auction.

The idea for the barbecue was born one afternoon when Erickson was buying animals at a Merced County Fair Junior Livestock Auction. Most of the buyers left by lunchtime, so it was up to him and a handful of others to bid on the rest of the 4-H and FFA market animals. “Back in those days when the auction was over they handed the buyers a bag of peanuts and a beer and said thanks,” Erickson said. “That got me thinking that we could do something better for the buyers to get them to stick around for the whole auction.”

Some fairs provided a catered meal as a thank you to buyers, but the cost was paid for out of the exhibitors’ sales commissions. Erickson didn’t like that idea. So the next year, he started with a couple of donated hogs and solicited donations from local businesses and individuals and put together the first barbecue. Each person who bought an animal at the auction was given two tickets to the barbecue as a thank you for supporting the kids’ animal projects. “Once we started doing the barbecue, everybody stayed at the auction. It’s something to look forward to after the auction is over,” Erickson said.

A few years later, Erickson and his crew decided to buy all the meat pens at the fair’s rabbit auction and cooked those up and served them at the buyers’ barbecue to rave reviews. After that, Erickson said, rabbit was included on the barbecue menu. “The next year we hoped they brought more rabbits to the auction. One thing led to another and the kids got a lot more money for their rabbits.” He said it wasn’t long before more kids were entering rabbits at the fair.

“Bruce heads up a crew that feeds 500 to 600 people each year,” said Cunningham. The barbecue menu includes deep pit beef, deep fried rabbit, beans, salad and fruit. Each year Erickson gathers fresh produce from local growers including cantaloupe, tomatoes, peppers and onions. He makes his “secret sauce” to dress the green salad, prepares the traditional “Bill Kirby” beans and deep fries about 75 rabbits that are donated or purchased from the auction. “He spends about three days before the auction buying, preparing, and cooking for the barbecue,” Cunningham said. “There are very few people at the fair who have given that kind of time. That’s above and beyond. He should be recognized for all that he has given to the fair.”

Erickson was surprised to receive the award. “I wasn’t expecting anything, it’s just something I keep doing,” he said, adding, “I don’t look back, I just always look ahead.”

The 2008 Blue Ribbon Award also was given to Lloyd Pareira Jr. recognizing his family’s support of the fair for more than two decades.

When Old MacDonald’s Farm was started more than 20 years ago by Kathy Rinkenberger, she asked Lloyd Pareira Sr. to bring some of his exotic animals to the barnyard to feature under the same roof with more typical farm animals like goats and pigs. “It was her brainchild,” said Lloyd Pareira Jr.

Each year Lloyd Pareira Sr., with the help of his son, Lloyd Jr., brought a parade of animals from his exotic menagerie to the fair to share with the community, filling several pens at the ag literacy exhibit. Since his father’s death in 1994, Lloyd Pareira Jr. has carried on the family tradition.

Most of these animals are more unusual varieties that fairgoers wouldn’t have a chance to see, said Cunningham. Some of the exotic animals from around the world that were at the 2008 fair include a camel; a Scottish Highlander that looks like a big, shaggy cow; a Jacob’s Four-Horned Sheep; an aoudad, a bearded sheep from the mountains of North Africa, a zedonk (a cross between a zebra and a donkey); a miniature donkey that belongs to his daughter, Gianna and a Watusi.

Before the fair starts, Pareira Jr., with the help of his four young children, rounds up a few of the 60 exotic animals (they have about two of each species) at their Snelling farm and transports them to Old MacDonald’s Farm, where they stay for all six days of the fair. “The staff at Old MacDonald’s Farm always takes such good care of our animals I don’t have to worry about them – they do an awesome job.”

Being at the fair is a tradition for Pareira Jr., who showed animals at the fair with his sister, and now is watching as his youngsters exhibit their animals. Although he’s busy running the family’s organic dairy, Pareira Jr. also spends many hours at the “farm” sharing his knowledge about the animals with fairgoers.

“Some of the exotics like the yak are used as farm animals in other countries. Many of our animals, such as the camel don’t fit in a barnyard setting but these unusual animals bring people into the exhibit and it gives us a chance to talk about our farm, how sheep are sheared or how chickens are raised. That’s the beauty of it,” Pareira Jr. said. “The Watusi gets a lot of attention because its huge horns make the animal look almost deformed. The animals are fun to see and when people come by, it gives us a chance to tell our ag story.”

Letting fairgoers enjoy their animals just comes naturally to the Pareira Family. “As Christians we believe we are stewards of the animals. We appreciate being able to share them with people who wouldn’t normally have a chance to be around them. We are sharing what we have with others. As my father said, ‘Half the joy of having them is sharing them.’ ”

Lloyd Pareira Jr. is proud to receive a 2008 Blue Ribbon Award. “It’s pretty exciting because this award is hard to come by.”

“His dad started it and Lloyd Jr. has carried it on,” Cunningham said. “It is a part of Old MacDonald’s Farm that the public really enjoys seeing. All these animals are raised locally and to have these types of exotic farm animals alongside the domestic ones is just something that makes Old MacDonald’s Farm complete. They all have a purpose in life in some part of the world.”

The 2008 Merced County Fair Board of Directors singled out recipients who made a significant contribution to the 2008 fair to receive a 2008 Merced County Fair Directors’ Award. The awards – blue ribbon rosettes – were awarded at various locations and times during fair week.

Here are the 2008 Merced County Fair Director’s Awards winners:

Laurie Bazan. Selected by fair board member Jaime Farao. Bazan, who lives in Atwater and is the McSwain School secretary, is very involved in McSwain 4-H as a community leader and a swine and photography leader. She has served as an assistant advisor to the Merced County Fair’s Junior Fair Board for two years. During the fair, she works all day at the annual Junior Livestock Auction making sure the exhibitors and their animals are where they should be at the right time. “She does many things that really benefit 4-H and FFA students at the fair,” Farao said, adding, “Because of all that dedication I thought she was deserving of the director’s award.”

Terri Mello. Senior Home Arts Building Superintendent. Selected by fair board member Barbara Matheron. “Terri and her crew do an amazing job,” Matheron said of the attractive display of more than 300 exhibits in the building. Mello also orchestrates the six “Day of” cooking contests with about 20 entries per competition. “She does the set up and the take down and makes sure everything gets back to their owners,” Matheron said, adding, “The building always looks great.” Mello and her husband, Bill, live in Atwater where they run a custom farming business. He helps out each year with the exhibit building and cooking contests. She has worked in the Senior Home Arts building eight fairs, two years as superintendent, and before that she entered the cooking contests, exhibited at the fair and the couple’s kids were active in 4-H.

Debby McGarry and Jill Henningsgaard. Selected by fair board member, Bert Crane. Debby McGarry of Atwater, has been on the fair staff for eight years and is currently employed as Exhibit Representative. During fairtime she hires all the judges for still and livestock exhibitors, handles all the contracts and oversees all fairgrounds building superintendents and also is in charge of hiring temporary staff for all buildings. She also heads up fairtime hospitality receptions and oversees development and construction of the feature exhibit in the ag exhibits building. Her daughter, Jill Henningsgaard, also of Atwater, has volunteered to assist her mother at the past eight fairs. “She’s my worker bee,” said McGarry. Henningsgaard lends a hand with whatever needs to be done from helping put together the feature exhibit to pitching in at fairtime receptions. Crane said he picked the mother-daughter duo for the award because, “They are the behind-the-scenes people who help coordinate the VIP receptions and nightly dinners. They are very congenial people who love what they do. It’s a seamless effort that goes without a glitch.”

Lynnie Alberti-Williams. Small Animals Superintendent/Coordinator of “Friends Helping Friends.” Selected by fair board member, Deborah Lewis. Alberti-Williams of Merced, and her family have been involved in the Merced County Fair and Spring Fair in Los Banos for years, but this was the first year she took on the position of Superintendent of Small Animals at the fair (rabbits, poultry and other birds). Director Lewis was impressed by what she saw at the fair’s small animals judging. “It allowed me to get up close and see the interaction of the judges with the kids. The judge explained what he was looking for before examining the animal. It was more like a teaching experience,” she said, adding, “The whole event was done very well.” Lewis felt Alberti-Williams deserved the award because she took on the new task of superintendent and did a good job. Alberti-Williams also served as coordinator of the annual “Friends Helping Friends” annual event held the Friday of fair week. It’s the annual day at the fair for the community’s special needs kids and adults, including some folks from local convalescent homes. More than 800 invitees are treated to a tour, lunch, dancing and a mini-rodeo. In addition, Alberti-Williams loaned the fair her vintage sheep wagon, used as a portable living quarters by sheepherders. The wagon, which was refurbished, was a centerpiece in the Ag Exhibits Building during the fair.

Ezio Sansoni. Past Director, Merced County Fair Board, 1982-1990. Selected by fair board member Carol Silva. Every year since 1982, Sansoni has donated almond wood for the deep pit barbecue at the Junior Livestock Auction buyers’ barbecue that follows the auction. As the owner of Sansoni Farms and Orchards in Atwater, he grows and harvest almonds and is a Blue Diamond Growers member. Sansoni continues to be very involved with the fair’s auction committee as well as the buildings and grounds and marketing and promotion committees. “He continues to contribute unselfishly to our fair in so many ways,” said Silva, adding, “If you ask him for help with something he is always more than happy to do it.” Over the years he has been very involved with 4-H and FFA. “He is a very strong supporter of agriculture and is very involved in promoting agriculture to today’s youth,” she said. “He’s the type of person we want to acknowledge.”

Les McCabe. Chairman of the Board of Directors of “Friends of the Merced County Fair.” Selected by fair board member, Gary Carlson. McCabe volunteered to chair the “Friends of the Merced County Fair” a non-profit organization set up to help raise money for needed fairgrounds improvements. “Les McCabe’s name is synonymous with the Merced County Fair,” said Carlson. He pointed out that McCabe was instrumental in helping found the “Friends of the Fair,” that will help preserve the fair’s heritage for the future by improving the buildings at the fairgrounds, such as the livestock barns, to better showcase the local ag community. McCabe was an agriculture instructor and department head at Merced College and also served as a 4-H leader. The former Merced County Fair Board member has continued his involvement in the fair and the junior livestock auction long after his service on the board ended, including sitting on several fair committees. “With all the time and energy he has devoted to the fair, he’s an important part of the fair community,” Carlson said, adding, “Everyone knows Les McCabe, he's just part of the fair.”

Colossal Gelato. Italian ice cream concession. Matt Holguin. Selected by fair board member Shannon Picciano. Holguin, a 27-year-old entrepreneur from Paso Robles, brought his family’s “secret recipe” for the creamy, frozen dessert to the fair for the first time. Fairgoers raved about his gelato and bought more than 5,000 scoops in cups and cones during the fair. Holguin, who recruited his parents to help out at the popular concession, was thrilled with the response to his product. That’s because he’s scooping up gelato to help support his big mission in life, helping others. He has worked with World Vision, Life Water International and other Christian non-profit organizations for seven years and visited 74 countries to make the world a better place by providing sustainable help to people. Africa is the only continent he hasn’t been to on his quest, but he’s going in the fall. He is a community planner spearheading projects such as bringing clean drinking water to poverty-stricken villages. Holguin spends 133 days of the year earning money to help fund his work, the rest of the time is spent in the field. He gives away 50 percent of his company’s profits. “The Lord has blessed me with so much, I want to have success with significance,” Holguin said. Picciano not only loved the gelato, but thought Holguin’s work was more than worthy of a director’s award. “I was impressed with Matt’s creativity, unique entrepreneurial approach and his desire to use his talents to help those less fortunate by donating a large portion of his proceeds to help improve the standard of living for thousands of people. What a fulfilling job he has,” she said.

Terry Kruest. Fairgrounds Commerce Building Superintendent. Selected by fair board member Mark Erreca. Kruest has worked at the fair for 17 years and for 16 years he has served as the Commerce Building Superintendent. He oversees dozens of commercial exhibitors in the building selling everything from cookware, cell phone accessories and foot spas to stain removers, solar panels and political candidates. A lot has changed since he started overseeing the building – there are more exhibitors – 61 this year. It’s a big job making sure competing businesses aren’t next to one another and that everyone follows the rules from decoration guidelines to height requirements. He and his daughter, Taryn Kruest, worked together decorating the building again this year, including designing and creating the banners that hang from the ceiling. The fair holds a special place in his heart because it’s where he met his late wife, Sue Peel Kruest, when they were volunteering at the Democratic booth in the Commerce Building. The couple was married in 1976. Kruest, who lives in Atwater, is a retired installer/repairman for residential and business phones and has handled all of the telephone installations and repairs at the fairgrounds. And he helps out wherever he is needed. Every fair is like a reunion, he said. “We all come together and we’re one big, happy family.” “Terry Kruest is an outstanding example of somebody who works hard to make the Merced County Fair a success,” Erreca said. “In addition to being the Commerce Building superintendent, he has spent a lot of time working on the fair’s communications systems. Terry’s enthusiasm for the fair and his family history with the fair make him an obvious choice for this honor.”

For information, call the fair office at 722-1507 or email Info@MercedCountyFair.com or fax at 722-3773. Visit the 2009 Merced County Fair’s award-winning website, www.MercedCountyFair.com

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