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Northern Illinois Horsefest
Aug. 25th, 2007 08:32 pmToday was the Northern Illinois Horsefest at the Boone County Fairgrounds. We had planned on going, but the weather for the past couple of weeks has been so bad that I feared the fairgrounds would be a sea of mud and many participants would be kept away by flooding either at home or in intermediate areas.
However, it turned out to be a lovely day, dry, pleasantly cool, and sunny. There were clouds that clearly did not bode well for someone east of us, but they were still little baby storms when they passed through our area. We went to the Horsefest after all, stopping on the way for lunch in Garden Prairie.
Admission was up a dollar from last year, attendance was down both on the part of visitors and exhibitors. This has become a pretty predictable pattern. Every year I expect it won't happen at all the next year. I'm in doubt now whether it will be worth attending if it does happen. Their largest problem, I think, is lack of advance publicity. If you don't know to watch for it, you don't know it's happening.
Anyway, we did see some beautiful horses, walked through the commercial exhibits, sat through a competition in one outdoor arena, and headed back home. On the way out, I bought a plush horsie from a tent vendor. (Made by Aurora, for my serious plush collecting friends who may wonder.) I decided to name him Paffers, which will make sense to some of you. Here he is:
However, it turned out to be a lovely day, dry, pleasantly cool, and sunny. There were clouds that clearly did not bode well for someone east of us, but they were still little baby storms when they passed through our area. We went to the Horsefest after all, stopping on the way for lunch in Garden Prairie.
Admission was up a dollar from last year, attendance was down both on the part of visitors and exhibitors. This has become a pretty predictable pattern. Every year I expect it won't happen at all the next year. I'm in doubt now whether it will be worth attending if it does happen. Their largest problem, I think, is lack of advance publicity. If you don't know to watch for it, you don't know it's happening.
Anyway, we did see some beautiful horses, walked through the commercial exhibits, sat through a competition in one outdoor arena, and headed back home. On the way out, I bought a plush horsie from a tent vendor. (Made by Aurora, for my serious plush collecting friends who may wonder.) I decided to name him Paffers, which will make sense to some of you. Here he is:
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| Paffers New arrival Paffers sits on the fabric in process at my loom, demanding attention. He's very soft and floppy, and obviously was bred for cuddling. |
