Needlework Art Hobbies again most popular; Fair-goers rise by 200

The number of entries in the open classes at this year’s Phillips County Fair was up over last year by over 500.

A total of 1,916 open class entries were judged this year compared to 1,498 last year and 1,292 in 2012 according to county fair figures provided this week. The total number of exhibitors grew by two with a total of 231 this year.

Exhibitors, however, are still leaving a lot of potential premium monies on the table.

This year’s open class offered the potential for $17,370 to be paid out in premiums to winners and placers in all of the open class exhibit categories.

Wilma Mavencamp was top exhibitor again this year in the open class, collecting $289 in premium money. Mavencamp was the top exhibitor last year netting $221 in premium money.

Rose Teske was the second highest paid exhibitor with $212 and Jane Ereaux was third with $202 awarded in premiums paid.

But only about 27-percent – or $4,674 – went home in the pockets of exhibitors – though that per-centage is up from last year’s 25-precent.

The category of Needlework Art Hobbies was once again the most popular among exhibitors with 84 exhibitors exhibiting 651 entries and collecting $1,545 in premiums.

Culinary – which leapfrogged Floriculture in entrees this year for second place – had 47 exhibitors this year taking in $786 in premiums paid.

Floriculture was third in entries judged and premiums paid with 266 and $882 respectively.

Grain, Grass, Vegetable and Fruit paid out the second most in premiums with $874 awarded and a total of 38 exhibitors.

Livestock had nine exhibitors paying out $100 – just 2-percent of the premiums offered -- while community exhibits had six entries and paid out $150, 100-percent of premiums offered.

The number of School entries rose to 323 this year over the 307 in 2013.

Just under 2,600 fair-goers came through the main gates at the 99th Phillips County Fair, up by 200 peo-ple from 2013.

Pre-sale carnival ride tickets were up by 18-percent from last year.

The Travis Panczak concert drew a crowd on 239, the attendance number down slightly from Gwen Sebastian show last year.

The open rodeo had 872 people in attendance, up 24-percent from 2013.

Both the Tractor Pull and AMX Races were on par with last year’s attendance with around 325 people attending each event.

Though no reports on vendors sales were given, Fair Board Member Erik Wilke said that everyone he talked to was very pleased with their sales.

For more info on 4-H entries see the story on page 4A and see many of the 4-H youths on page 5A.