ASSOCIATION OF FAIK MANAGERS. 



211 



as every county has local conditions which must be met by the managers. 

 Certainly anything that serves to elevate the people and inspire them to 

 better work in their particular line is a desirable feature in the courity 

 fair. Every fair association has its difficulties, the chief of which is the 

 financial condition of the association. To make a good county fair re- 

 quires money. This Avill be obtained where the association receives the 

 hearty support of the farmers and business men of the community. There- 

 fore it is necessary for the managers to keep in line with those things 

 which will appeal to those of whom they expect support. 



It is true that the fair makes a splendid place for social gathering 

 and also a place of recreation and amusement for many country people 

 who consider it a great privilege to be able to attend. When we turn our 

 attention to the improvement of conditions already in existence, I wish to 

 speak more particularly of the live stock department. To begin with, 

 much will be gained by getting out the catalogue early in the season. Be- 

 fore 'this is done it is necessary to select superintendents for the various 

 departments, and along this line there is much room for improvement. 

 Too frequently the directors select superintendents who are not partic- 

 ularly interested in the department which they represent, anil it may be 

 that they are not well informed as to what the department should lie. A 

 good superintendent in any one of the live stock departments should be. 

 a handler or breeder of that particular kind of stock which his department 

 represents. Not only this, but it is preferable if some reliable breeder 

 who has had experience in live stock shows be chosen. If such is chosen 

 he understands the needs of the department, the needs of the exhibitor 

 and the importance of clean, honest judges. The superintendent of the 

 department should be a man who is aggressive, and thus able to secure 

 exhibitors and make the department first-class. In order to build up the 

 department he should be a man of integrity, one in whom people generally 

 have confidence, and one who will see that every exhibitor has fair 

 treatment. The superintendent should be a man who understands proper 

 classifications of stock, as this is one of the things which goes to make 

 a good live stock show. 



As nearly as possible the classes should be such as to represent one 

 breed only. It is true that where there is a limited premium fiTnd it is 

 impossible to extend the classification as far as that of the State fair, 

 and yet for inost breeds such a classification is an improvement over the 

 old method of throwing several breeds together. Furthermore, there 

 should be classes for local exhibitors, county classes if you please, in 

 which the young men of the county will be encouraged to exhibit home- 

 grown products. At one county fair where I was privileged to judge, the 

 county classes drew out large numbers of animals, and I a ill quite sure 

 that it was of as much real value to the farmers and breeders of the 

 county as the open classes. Anything that will encourage the attendance 

 of the farmers of the community should be given a place. 



