By Patrick Cooley
STONEBORO — The crowd in front of a small green stage marveled at the alligator a man in a tan safari shirt and cargo shorts carried to display.
“He’s probably more afraid of you than you are of him,” Grant Kemmerer explained Saturday as his assistant held the reptile. “It’s when animals become unafraid of humans that they get dangerous.”
Kemmerer is part of Wild World of Animals, which travels across the country, putting on entertaining and informative shows about all types of exotic animals.
He said his goal is to dispel myths about certain animals and show that they all have a role to play in the grand scheme of things.
“They are neither Hollywood villains nor Disney characters,” he said.
Rich and Sharen Pachis of Hadley brought their grandsons, Jordon and Donald Edinger, to the fair and went to the animal show.
“We really liked it,” said Donald, adding that he learned a lot from Kemmerer.
It was one of the many popular events at the Great Stoneboro Fair, which continues through Monday at the Stoneboro Fairgrounds. There was also an antique tractor pull, and Bull Ride Mania at the grandstands, which fair officials said is one of their most popular events.
“That’s when things really get interesting,” said Nancy McDowell, the fair’s publicity director. “People show up in cowboy hats and we fill the grandstands.”
Today at 8 p.m., country music star Chuck Wicks takes the stage. Monday will feature The U.S. Motocross Championship Series at 7 p.m. Ms. McDowell said both should also draw large crowds.
“Those guys (motorcyclists) are crazy,” she said. “When they do their flips, they go above the top of the stands.”
Saturday’s tractor pull drew contestants from several states trying to drag a heavy weight a longer distance than other competitors.
One of them was Mike Fleeger, who came from Chicora in Butler County.
“Stoneboro seems to bring a good group from all over to pull,” said Fleeger, whose children also participated. “It’s a good sport, it gets the kids away from their cell phones and their video games for awhile.”
In one of the barns, Melanie Horchler of Volant judged sheep in a 4-H competition.
“We’re looking for strong, complete and correct sheep,” she said.
“For the meat breeds, we’re looking for good muscling, because that’s what they’re going to end up as. The breeding stock, they need to be able to walk and look nice.”
Although attendance numbers were not available Saturday, Ms. McDowell said clear skys and warm weather seemed to boost attendance.
“We’ve been very blessed,” she said.
