Mutton Busting and the Dairy Women's Association

DATELINE:  Lynden, WA               August 17, 2011

Alone in Western Washington - recovering from Alaska cruising and looking for something to entertain ourselves, we learned of the much ballyhooed Western Washington District Fair.  All the Sunset SAMs (you do the translation on this group) in camp were present for the express purpose of attending the fair and Loretta Lynn concert. 

Now, frankly, when I think "fair" I think Alameda County Fair which automatically leads you down the path of gang bangers and hoodlums (do I sound adequately old yet) but I got a lesson in small town lifestyle at this event.  I'd say in all truthfulness we've never gotten more entertainment value for 10 bucks anywhere, anytime.

One of my favorite displays was in the hobby building where young and old had set up their "collections" -- in addition to the usual, there were home built Lego displays, smurfs, Barbies, a pencil display, pez dispensers and my personal favorite, a novelty eraser collection! This was fabulous!

We moved onto the animal barns and literally spent hours perusing cows, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, ponies, dogs, cats, chickens ( and oooh the chicken types!) rabbits, guinea pigs, turkeys, and pigeons (not my favorites).

At 6 pm they called everyone to the grandstand for the"Horse Show.". This was led off by Miss Western Washington Rodeo Queen and her court astride their galloping steeds racing the American, Canadian and Washington flags around the field.  We settled in figuring to watch a few minutes of typical 4-H pony stunts when the next thing we knew the arena filled with tiny little teams of perfectly matched ponies, 8 to a team pulling miniature versions of old fashioned delivery wagons - now many of you will recognize that there was both terror and excitement brewing what with Beth's love of all things miniature but fear of midgitry.  Amid much fanfare and applause the little, teeny teams of horses driven by full-size owners (yeah, I agree...opportunity missed) hurtled onto the field and began to race pell mell all over the place.  I'm telling you it was a spectacle! At one point they even got all tangled up and had cowboys had to run onto the field to unwind them from each other. There was no winner declared but those proud little guys worked themselves into quite a lather and pranced off the field like they had conquered the world. 

Well...as if that wasn't enough entertainment, they reopened the gates and out came teams of two, and later four, miniature ponies towing - wait for it - CHARIOTS!! Not kidding - tiny little chariots just pelting around the field at breakneck speeds - hilarious! But, as if this wasn't entertainment enough, they threw open the gates and out pranced the draft horses - huge behemoths in beautifully matched teams and then they began to race around.  All these teams even had sponsors - things like Wilkes Western Wear and Fred's Finery and Pop's Propane and Septic Cleaner.  I'm not kidding folks. 

 

There were many more "acts" that were fabulously entertaining and had us grinning like fools while simultaneously whistling the Andy Griffith Theme but the one that got even Barry reaching for the camera was the Mutton Busting event. Initially I thought I heard the announcer declare that it was time for "Button Busting" and I got tell you the things I was picturing in my confused little brain would have made for a pretty good show but it couldn't have beaten the pure hilarity of watching little bitty, cowboy-hatted kids climb aboard a sheep for a thrill ride lasting only seconds.  Boy by howdy I'd travel a fair piece to see THAT again. 

Mutton Bustin' Video  [click here]

  So readers let me announce here - the house is for sale - I wanna go where the minature ponies roam and the sport of kings is 'mutton busting.'I want to go where the rooster crows in the Poultry Hall and all is apparently right with the world.