Mutton Bustin’ A rider holds on as long as she can in the hugely popular attraction at the Gilpin County Fair. PHOTO BY DAVE GIBSON[/caption]

Saturday, July 24, a Flight For Life helicopter flew over the Gilpin County Fairgrounds in honor of Cody and Shelby Allen. Dannika Sternlicht and Cody Allen’s sister Rebecka solemnly entered the stadium on horseback carrying the American flag and thin red line firefighter flag. With Cody and Shelby’s passing still painfully fresh, words by their friends and family were choked with emotion when addressing the many in attendance who knew and cared for them. In their tribute, the stadium was renamed the Allen Memorial Arena.

This year’s theme of an “Old- Fashioned Fair” kicked off with an old-fashioned breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, and potatoes hosted by the High Country Auxiliary. Nearby was a bounce house that served as a magnet for ebullient children. Next to it a tent provided face painting and hula hoops to play with. Vendors promoted their products, charities or services. Toys for the kids and free caramel corn samples were among the choices available. Wannabe lumberjacks swung their mauls into logs of challenging circumference and musicians tested out instruments at the Brightwood Music booth. Young firefighters-in-training aimed water hoses at two miniature plywood cutout houses with four windows each. When all the mock flames in the windows were knocked down by the stream of water the fire was doused and adjacent forest saved.

The Dog Agility Contest was a hit with a course that began with a low foam jump, then a teeter-totter followed by a long tube that the dog was supposed to pass through. The owners would toss a treat inside one end then run to the other coaxing the animal through. Often the canines were smarter than the humans were, popping out of the end that they started, hoping for another treat. A ramp and a slide led to a kiddie pool filled with water in which the dogs were required to enter but usually took a prolonged drink. The “Ring of Fire,” another tube, and weave poles brought animals and owners to the finish line. None of the dogs but one had ever seen an obstacle course before and the fun was in seeing what the animals would and would not do.

The backbone of any fair is the equestrian events, brought to us this year by the Gilpin Archwood 4-H Club. The Stick Horse Race was open to even the youngest of contestants. English and Western Horsemanship demonstrated the close bond between horse and rider through communication and simple maneuvers. Equitation tested the rider’s form and horse’s walking, trotting, and cantering skills and ability to follow commands. Following a short lunch break, Gymkhana events Barrels, Poles, Keyhole and Speedball wowed the crowd.

A spirited flock of sheep was trucked in from Brighton for the Mutton Bustin’. A test of balance, fortitude, and a strong grip, it proved to be so popular that a second round was scheduled to the delight of entrants and attendees.

Offering delectable entrées, side dishes, and beverages, the JBQ BBQ food truck was the place to be at the end of the day after the field events had concluded marking another highly enjoyable and successful year for the Gilpin County Fair.

Special thanks are extended to Gabrielle Chisholm and her staff at the Gilpin County Community Center and Public Works Department for preparing the site; Norma Jones and Larry Sterling of Gilpin County Animal Response Team who, along with Krystal Meyer, organized the arena events; Carolyn Collins Peterson from the Friends of the Gilpin County Community Center for her help organizing the fair; and the Gilpin County 4-H Team for their invaluable assistance.

Top, right, from left to right; Caden, Tegon, and Kody look loose and ready to ride before the first round of the mutton bustin’.[/caption]