We always try to go the first couple days that the Evergreen Fair opens. Everything is fresh & new - the vendors are friendly, the food is outstanding & it's usually not overcrowded. I left from up north, Butch from Ballard & Monroe was about in the middle - but Butch had the wait for the train. Now parking is $10. We used to complain when it was $5. Entry was free though if you brought 3 cans of food each - & we did.
Behind the scenes~
It's great touring the horse barns! First to see all the 4-H Clubs with their stall decorations, informative posters, curtains, horses etc. The kids are always so bright, courteous & friendly! Every kid we saw asked if we had any questions! We did & they were quick to answer :-) There was even one poster on "Endurance Riding"!
In the draft horse area, we loved visiting with the owners of the Spotted Drafts! Such beautiful animals! The one above was a rescue from an Amish farm. He would shake like a leaf when touched anyplace below his mid-line. This made working with his feet, grooming etc. very difficult. He was especially afraid of men. Over time, he's now a much happier horse & enjoys his work without fear.
Prince
This photo does Not do Prince justice! He has the most beautiful head, hands down of ANY draft I have ever seen! Not only a handsome head, but nice eyes & the Look of Eagles - which is how he got his name! To see him in harness at a full trot - is a thrill!
The six-horse hitches are the highlight of the show. This year was no exception. The work that goes into showing these large teams is immense in every way!
Harness shined & ready~
The harness for each horse weighs over 80lbs! We entered the drawing for a free yearling! :-) Before the show, about 12 of the 4-H kids - rode into the arena bareback for a "Bucket Race". Also, one guy on a Percheron! When the music stopped, there was a dash to reach a bucket, dismount & stand on it! Each round a bucket was eliminated - along with a rider. Finally it was down to one bucket - a girl on a paint & the guy on the Percheron. The music stopped - both horses were flying at the remaining bucket! Seeing that huge horse coming at him head on - the paint wisely gave way & his rider retained her seat! :-) Guess who won? :-)
Our favorite stop for food is Kaleenka's - where the stuffed bread is the best thing at the Fair, next to the Indian Fry Bread! For many years we'd occasionally drive down to Seattle on a Friday night for dinner at the restaurant. In/dinner/ back home all within just a couple hours. Can't be done now with the traffic...
Carved Bench
As is the case every year, I plead my case for the wood carved horse bench :-) It would look amazing in the entry of a huge house with high timber ceilings. So maybe the house first? :-)
We came home with new pillows & a Helios Heater. I'm not really giving the product much of a plug - it does get hot & stay hot for quite a while, but to re-generate the crystal liquid inside - you have to boil the pad in a towel, in a pan of boiling water for 12-15 min. That's pretty energy wasteful. Even so - it's soft, pliable & makes my neck & shoulder feel good! :-)
We had a great time, talked to some nice people & really enjoyed our visit. If you don't mind the time in lines of traffic to get in - it's a great place to enjoy a late Summertime day!
