Fair sends out call to contestants

She was the best pig out of about 150 William James

At left, Weston Merriman and William James and his pig, Baby Pig. James won 2018 Supreme Champion Market Hog at last year's fair.

Entry dates for this year’s San Diego County Fair’s com­petitive exhibits have opened or will open soon.

According to Nicola Martinez, exhibits supervisor with the fair, approximately 80,000 en­tries are received each year, and that number does not include participants for their youth field trip programs.

Some of the new changes to competitive exhibits are:

“We’ve changed the name of our best of K-6th grade depart­ment to best of preK to 6th grade, to include pre-schools,” said Martinez via email. “There is no fee to enter best of preK to 6th grade. Last year it was $15 per class, up to 35 students per entry, and we have eliminated that fee to help get more schools to participate as our initiative for 2019 is to focus on our youth programs.”

The ribbons, awards, and cash remain a draw for entrants as well.

“It’s pretty incredible how amazing our awards and do­nated awards are,” she said, “For example the exhibition of photography offers more than $25,000 in cash awards and ribbons alone!”

“We are enhanc­ing our senior program “Planting with Pride ”, said Mar­tinez.

New classes in the divi­sions such as sewing, quilting, and candy have been added.

The Student Showcase New Media has been renamed Web Design and Development with new divisions such as theatri­cal/costume/fair theme fash­ion design, maker labs, and energy/power sources group project.

Additionally Martinez point­ed out that yearbook entries only have to have one copy provided to enter.

Kathleen Downs won six ribbons in the preserved foods category in 2018. All winners from Alpine can be viewed on the fair’s website.

President of the Japatul 4-H Club, 14-year-old William James did supremely well last year.

“He has shown large live­stock since he was 9,” said Dan­ica James of her son. “William won 2018 Supreme Champion Market Hog (swine/pig) at last year’s fair with his 7-month-old, 265 lb. pig, Baby Pig. “This is the first time he’s won at the San Diego County Fair.”

Baby Pig is a black and white Hampshire that William start­ed caring for at 4-month-of-age. They purchased Baby Pig from Ottenwalter Showpigs in Colusa County, California.

“She was the best pig out of about 150,” said William, an 8th grader at Joan MacQueen Mid­dle School.

“We had run out of names, so we went with Baby Pig. Some name their pig Bacon.”

“I plan on breeding her and showing the pigs,” he said. “Or sell them to people.”

Entry dates and delivery dates can vary to compete in this year’s fair. Visit: http:// sdfair.com to keep up on dates, rules, categories, fees, and deliv­ery dates.

The fair opens May 31.

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