[NM]State Fair roaring back (Says fair GM, but NM Gov prohibits non-vax attendance and all 4-H & youth livestock exhibition and sales banned)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | September 7, 2021 | Ollie Reed Jr.

[CedarDave]

Get Dan Mourning talking about the 2021 New Mexico State Fair and he’s off like one of those pulse-accelerating, mile-a-minute midway rides that don’t slow down for head-snapping turns or stomach-flopping drops. You know he’s going to stop at some point, but it just doesn’t seem like it will be soon.

“I’m just ready to open those gates on Thursday morning and welcome people back to the grounds. Everybody involved with the fair can’t wait. We have doubled the amount of free entertainment. We have animal races. Ducks and goats, not just pigs any more.

“We have the petting zoo and the beer garden. Something great for everybody. The grounds have never looked better. We have a great rodeo and concert lineup, and, in this day’s world, getting that kind of lineup is amazing. We have horseracing going on at the Downs. The midway has added four new kids’ rides.

Mourning’s major regret related to the 2021 fair is the cancellation of the Junior Livestock Show and Sale because of the recent uptick in COVID cases in New Mexico. He said that tough decision was made after consulting parents, exhibitors, 4-H and Future Farmers of America leadership, medical experts and public health officials.

More than 1,200 young people, members of the state’s 4-H and FFA organizations, usually participate in the livestock show, exhibiting rabbits, chickens, goats, sheep, hogs and cattle.

A state health order requires everyone 12 and older to be fully vaccinated to attend the fair. Exemptions require written reasons and a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours before entering the fairgrounds. Masks are required in all indoor venues and recommended in outdoor areas where social distancing is difficult.

[CedarDave]

Again, not mentioned in the article is the amount of time, effort and money spent by young people to raise and care for animals for exhibition. Sales of the livestock raise money for families and higher education for the children. To have a years (actually two years) effort denied at the whim of the governor is more than disheartening, it teaches kids the wrong lesson that effort doesn't matter if you aren't aligned with the political person in charge of the state.

[CedarDave]

BTW, it was just announced today that livestock sales at our local county fair held last month topped $680,000!

[hsmomx3]

Dan is married to my cousin. Thanks for posting.

[CedarDave]

an is married to my cousin. Thanks for posting.

Well, he is doing his job. The majority of the article is very Rah Rah upbeat. But down toward the bottom it mentions the vaccination requirement and he does regret young people not being there to exhibit their animals.

At the end of the article he puts a positive light on things:
“We wish we weren’t living in a COVID world,” Mourning said. “But we are going to do our best to adapt and overcome.”

[Joe Boucher]

And stoopid folks continue supporting and electing nazi’s like this and Witmer, Murphy, Newsom and others.

Wait to see all the Football stadiums shouting in chorus F-Joe Biden this weekend.
Wait till dementia Joe shows and the 3, 9-11 events on Saturday and again they shout f-Joe Biden.
Will be a chore for the crappola main stream media to ignore it.

[metmom]

Considering that most state fairs are largely outdoor events, this is ludicrous.

It’s nothing but control freak power grabs by wannabe dictators who love nothing more than controlling everyone else’s life.

People should be free to take whatever risks they want. If someone is that fearful of COVID, then they don’t have to attend the fair.

[Leep]

How do we really know if “we” are “electing” them?

[hsmomx3]

Yeah, I saw that.

I’ve never met him and I haven’t seen that side of the family in a very long time. His in-laws, now deceased, used to own Casa Luna Restaurant on Central.

His mother-in-law and my dad are first cousins.

My dad has a lot of relatives still in the area.

[minnesota_bound]

The people at the recent Minnesota State Fair were not wearing masks. 1,301,584 showed up.
Minnesota has a population of about 4.7 million.

Everyone is doomed!!

[stars & stripes forever]

That effectively destroyed 4H. Kid will nix 4H and show in the Jr. Open.

[CedarDave]

As I posted, the local county fair broke a record with $682,600 plus in sales:

On sale day, bidders spent a total of $573,500 on 121 animals sold by Lea County’s 4-H and FFA youth. Then, by the night before the commission meeting, more than $100,000 had been committed as add-ons to a total of $682,633 ....

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The North Idaho State Fair ran August 20 - 29, twice as long as normal. We hit record attendance, about 50% higher than the previous 5 day fairs.

There were NO requirements for vaccination, for masks, for proof of immunity, or recent negative test. None. Nobody was wearing masks. Everybody was having great fun and the “Gem State Stampede” was thrilling as usual.

Freedom, baby! Yeah.

[CedarDave]

Considering that most state fairs are largely outdoor events, this is ludicrous.

People should be free to take whatever risks they want. If someone is that fearful of COVID, then they don’t have to attend the fair.

It’s nothing but control freak power grabs by wannabe dictators who love nothing more than controlling everyone else’s life.

Totally correct. From the article:

At 236 acres, the fairgrounds have the advantage of a lot of room to spread out in, and Mourning said the fair will employ fogging sprayers, ionization technologies and other cleaning-and-disinfecting efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

[CedarDave]

Please note the change in ABQ Journal policy for non-subscribers.

NM list PING!

I may not PING for all New Mexico articles. To see New Mexico articles by topic click here: New Mexico Topics

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(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for FR member use; its use in the News Forum should not be for trivial or inconsequential posts. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
(For ABQ Journal articles requiring a subscription, they have recently changed their policy and allow ten free articles before a subscription is required. I would like clarification from non-subscribers if that is actually the current policy.)

[madison10]

Using that equipment in the illegal camps, too?

[Falconspeed]

“A state health order requires everyone 12 and older to be fully vaccinated.”

Discrimination. Segregation. Violence.

[metmom]

Interesting that we didn’t hear the left screech and howl about that spreader event.

[Joe Boucher]

It is why they refuse paper trails.