Exhibitors compete alongside their animals at the fair

ZANESVILLE, Ohio– The Muskingum County Blue Ribbon Fair has numerous animal exhibits.

The animals available to see include horses, pigs, roosters, and goats. There are several shows and competitions at the fair. Exhibitor, Megan Morrow, won grand champion pack goat at the Fair. She said her goat is a large part of her life.

“She was a bottle baby,” said Morrow.”That means she didn’t have a mom. We fed her out of a bottle. That gets her really attached to you. You are feeding her everyday since she was really little. We’ve just always been really close. She’s just my little baby.

Morrow said she’s so proud of how her goat did in the competition. Goats weren’t the only animal competing. Rider, Delaney Zimmerman, and her horse, Emma, are competing in four different classes. Zimmerman said spending time with her horse creates a great bond between the two of them.

“We’re best friends,” said Zimmerman. “This is our first year together, and I think we’ve come a really long way from the first time I got on her. She really learned how I ride and I really figured out how the way she moves, so we can work together. ”

Rider, Lauren Kent, was only able to compete in one class because her horse, Rascal, was hurt a few weeks ago. Lauren loves that she is still able to spend the entire week with him. She said a loving bond between a horse and rider is crucial for success in competing.

“It’s crazy, once you bond with your horse you can do anything,” said Kent. “It’s crazy how much loving your horse can give. You get full access to opening them up and getting their full potential.”

There will be more animal shows throughout the rest of fair week.