Mockonema memories thrill for 63rd year

Palouse Empire Fair booked another strong run at Mockonema for the 63rd edition of the four-day show. Fair manager Bob Reynolds estimated the total gate will top 23,000 over the four-day run.

“We really packed them in late on Saturday,” Reynolds noted. “The food vendors told me that was by far their top grossing day at the fair.”

Fair officials before the event were concerned about how the big WSU football weekend, with its debut of a new football program and a remodeled Martin Stadium, would impact the Mockonema show.

Reynolds said the fair apparently picked up a lot of the WSU crowd who made the Mockonema stop after attending the ball game.

“I know a lot those people we had on the grounds Saturday night were college kids and Cougar fans,” Reynolds said.

The Cougars noon kickoff time in a near-sellout stadium meant a large crowd available at the fair once the game ended three or four hours later.

The Saturday night rodeo event actually packed the fair’s grandstand and resulted in a standing-room-only crowd.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen that in four or five years,” Reynolds commented.

Saturday’s afternoon’s junior market stock sale, which went head-to-head with the Cougar starting time, also booked a strong performance with a lot of top end support for the junior stock vendors. The sale also launched with strong floor prices as a result of the current markets.

Sunday’s fair day sustained a slight hit from the weatherman in the form of wind. Many of the fair vendors with temporary awning and other covering had to stow their covers, but most continued operations.

Reynolds said the stock entries in the fair again marked an increase with 4H and FFA members again packing the barns.

The market sale bill totaled 267 animals with 101 hogs, 56 beef and 110 sheep.

Static entries again marked a decline in the display barns, especially in the open classes. Reynolds said the fair is now working through the books to process the premium payments.

In the fair’s royalty event Friday night, Holly Jane Leendertsen of Palouse was named Miss Palouse Empire Fair for 2013 after competition on the remodeled stage in the Community Building. She is the daughter of John and Shirley Leendertsen of Palouse.

Colfax entrant Deanna Aeschliman was named first runner-up, and Madalynne St. John of Rosalia was named second runner-up.

Chandler Pfaff of Garfield won the Miss Palouse Empire Rodeo crown which was presented during a break in Sunday’s rodeo event.

Emma Schultheis of Colton, second-place finisher for the last two years, won the Ernie Dippel award which signifies the fair top show person in the round robin.

She topped five other fitting and showing winners for the fair’s three market classes. Hannah Kramer of Colton and Lane Hannas of Hooper tied for reserve honors, a very rare result in the round robin format.

Schultheis also won the market championship ribbon for her hog in 4H. Other 4H market champions were Cotton Booker of Colfax, beef, and Clara O’Keefe, St. John, sheep.

FFA market stock champions were Jill Morgan of Benton City, hogs; Hannah Neibergs of Palouse, beef, and Rachel Gfeller of Thornton, sheep.

Nick Doneen of Oakesdale won the Ray Mackleit memorial award for leadership in the hog barn.