Movies and TV shows do a pretty good job of conveying the county fair experience.

The bright rides, cheap prizes, cute animals and fried foods are perhaps the most eye-catching features of these community events.

When I attended my first county fair this week, however, I realized something: Our entertainment industry fails to capture the heart of the county fair.

The Westmoreland Fair’s heart lies with the hard-working 4-H members who dedicate their days to raising and training animals.

Their discipline and skills were first made evident at the animal shows. It didn’t matter if I was at the llama, market lamb or miniature-horse show: Every kid exhibited knowledge and confidence as they worked with their animal to impress the judges.

Maddie Aiken | Tribune-Review Twins Emma and Addison Heeter, 17, of Clarksburg won Westmoreland Fair queen and princess, respectively.  

Several kids told me after the shows that they were nervous. I didn’t detect nerves once throughout the week.

Instead, I saw more professionalism, determination and focus than I witnessed in many of my college classes two years ago.

Were a few tears shed and frustrated sighs heard? Of course. But it seemed that in moments of disappointment or unforeseen circumstances, these kids knew how to pick themselves up and adapt.

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Once the shows ended, it was time for the 4-H competitors to impress me yet again with their people skills as I interviewed them for my coverage.

It isn’t every day that a young girl approaches you to tell you all about her family’s 30 rabbits, or a teen explains to you the intricacies of raising chickens as if you were a family friend.

These kids possess an immense amount of knowledge, but they also followed a pattern of answering my questions articulately, confidently and kindly.

Perhaps their character was best on display behind the scenes, though.

Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review Maevlyn Desko, 10, of Apollo swings in a hammock as she talks to a friend in one of the barns during opening night of the Westmoreland Fair on Friday, Aug. 19, 2022.  

A walk through the barns revealed hammocks where kids slept next to their horses, busy hands cleaning out sheep pens, and a young boy snuggled on top of his market hog.

In a world where many of us — myself included — tend to phones rather than animals, it was both refreshing and convicting to watch these kids, alongside their devoted family members, working so hard for a lifestyle that is so rewarding.

Fair shows can declare only one winner, but, in my book, all of these kids earned champion showman.

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