It's unknown how many people attended the Sanders County Fair last week because there is no general entry fee, but fair manager Melissa Cady estimated that around 20,000 people walked the grounds over the four days - and that could be a record. "We had a great turnout, lots of people. Vendors said they've sold more this year than the last three years. It's been an excellent year. We will see everyone in 2022," she said.

The Sanders County Concessions Group, a nonprofit organization, had only three full-time booths and one part-time this year, but Don Burrell, the president of the organization, believes they also did well, although he won't know for sure for a while

Seventy-eight food, drink and commercial vendors set up shop throughout the fairgrounds, including Steven Higgins, a chainsaw sculpture carver from Kansas City, Missouri, who drew crowds throughout the week while he demonstrated his carving skills from the large logs donated by Thompson River Lumber. The 36-year-old Higgins worked on several pieces, including a six-foot tall Bigfoot hiding in a tree trunk, which took Higgins only a few hours to make on Friday. One of Higgins' carved pieces was auctioned off during the demolition derby. He gave half of the proceeds to the fair.

Although the people numbers were up this year, entries in the fair's open class competition was down in nearly every category, according to Elizabeth Riffle, who's been the superintendent of the Culinary Division for 10 years and the Arts and Crafts Division for two years. Arts and Crafts had 287 entries, which she said has run as high as 800 in the past. Culinary was down to 299 entries, including four pies and a fruit turnover judged by fair board chairman Randy Woods, board member Ted Forkum and Jason Acheson of the Hot Springs Ambulance crew. The grand champion pie was a huckleberry apple pie by Bethany Rehbein of Plains.

In the Floriculture Division, headed by Sarah Ball, there were 219 entries. Jim Sadler, the floriculture judge for the last 16 years, said the flower numbers were low, but the quality was high. He believes the lack of entries was due to a hot and dry spring and summer. Karen Dykstra of Thompson Falls, who had been the floriculture superintendent for some 20 years before retiring, nabbed the Best of Show with her plumed celosia.

Horticulture, run by Sherry Hagerman-Benton, had 250 entries. She had only one scarecrow submission - a Wizard of Oz tin man by Forrest Rogers, which netted him a blue ribbon and Best of Division. Home Sewing and Needlework had 93 entries. For animals in open class, there were 33 rabbits and poultry and 16 livestock, which includes dairy, beef, swine, goats and sheep. 

Animals in open class weren't the only ones on display. Plains resident Charlie Gray, owner of Two Hearts Bar Ranch, again teamed up with Colleen Todd's Rocking K-T Bar Ranch with nine Texas longhorns. Visitors were allowed to go into the pen of 5-year-old Texas longhorn "Thumper," which had a set of horns that spread to 96 inches wide. Kids and adults alike had the chance to pet Thumper - some even sat on his back. Gray has been showing his longhorns at the fair for some 15 years.

There was some serious riding in the rodeo throughout the weekend and it wasn't just the big people. Nearly 50 little guys and gals took part in the mutton bustin contest, which this year was held on all three rodeo nights. Fair board members Brian Crain of Plains and Ted Forkum of Heron coordinated the event. They had 20 sheep riders on Thursday and 10 each on Friday and Saturday. Five-year-old Eleanor Traver of Thompson Falls was the big winner the first night. A boy from outside Montana won Friday, but officials didn't record who won on Saturday. Winners received a ribbon, a belt buckle and cowboy boots. Eleanor's brother, Ethan, was champion in the 2018 contest. "I don't know who was scared more, the sheep or the kids, probably the kids, but it was a close call," said Crain. 

This was the third year for Paradise Amusements of Post Falls, Idaho, to provide its carnival rides with 17 this year, along with 10 games. Owner Sherry McKay said the most popular rides once again were the "Zipper" and the "Graviton." The fair welcomed three musicians on the open mic, including country western singers Karsen Krebs of Plains, Tanner Laws of Thompson Falls and Jaden Decker of Missoula. Entertainment also came in the form of an awareness for missing and murdered indigenous women. With the Mrs. Montana title, Jennay Jo Ovitt, demonstrated a round dance while wearing a jingle dress. The Plains resident is a member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska and was helping to raise funds at the fair by painting red or black handprints on the side of children's faces. The handprint symbolizes the Missing Murdered Indigenous Women movement. 

Ed Moreth

TAKING OFF – Seven-year-old Kalsin McGuire of Thompson Falls shoots out the gate aboard a sheep at the Mutton Bustin Contest of the Sanders County Fair. McGuire earned 67 points for her ride, but not enough to win for Thursday's ride.

She was also one of nearly 50 units in the Sanders County Fair Parade Saturday morning, put on by the Plains High School wrestling team. The parade included Native American Chilaili Wachiwi, a professional flute player from Trout Creek. Leading with the VFW Post 3596 Color Guard, the parade had an assortment of entries, including 14 emergency medical services vehicles from Plains and six antique tractors, part of the St. Regis Coffee Group, which won Motorized Best of Show, according to Shane Angle, the wrestling team's coach. The parade lasted just under 20 minutes. The grand marshal for the parade was Laurence Walchuk of Hot Springs.