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Budget won’t bust fair’s blue ribbons

Exhibitors may not get rich, but will at least be recognized

By Stephanie Rice
Published: February 6, 2011, 12:00am

Come August, a blueberry pie — or tomato or macramé wall hanging — worthy of a blue ribbon will still receive a blue ribbon at the Clark County Fair, as well as a very modest cash prize.

Despite the threat of losing state money, which traditionally has been used for prize premiums and ribbons, Clark County Fair Manager John Morrison said last week he will redo his budget if necessary to ensure that winning exhibits are adorned and winning exhibitors are paid.

As the top-ranked fair in Washington, a status the county has enjoyed for seven straight years, the county was on track to receive approximately $98,000 from the state, Morrison said.

That’s out of $2 million the state Department of Agriculture distributes to approximately 70 county, community and youth fairs, said Val Watson, president of the Washington State Fairs Association.

Watson, in a Jan. 17 press release, said that Gov. Chris Gregoire’s 2011-13 budget reduces the fair fund from $2 million a year to $500,000.

Watson said representatives of 50 fairs responded to a survey; 56 percent said their fairs would not survive if the fair fund was eliminated.

Nearly all (92 percent) of the respondents said premiums for exhibitors would be “severely reduced or eliminated.”

Morrison, who with other fair representatives will meet with lawmakers on Thursday, isn’t overly concerned about losing the money. He said he’ll understand if the remaining funds are distributed to smaller fairs that rely on the state money.

The Clark County Fair runs Aug. 5-14.

Morrison also said he will not end the tradition of premiums for prizewinners.

Those payouts are considerably smaller in categories judged by the Danish system, in which each entry is judged on its own merits. That results in multiple blue ribbon winners, as opposed to the American system, used in competitions in which only one winner is selected.

For example, a blue ribbon blueberry pie might win $2.50, while a 4-H member who has award-winning animals could earn more than $100 in prize money.

The total budget for the fair is $2.7 million, Morrison said.

The 2010 county fair turned a $300,000 profit.

Stephanie Rice: 360-735-4508 or stephanie.rice@columbian.com.

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