Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, August 16, 2012, Pages 1 & 7

Results from judging at the Iowa State Fair began coming in this week, with area residents taking part in a wide variety of events. From duck calling to cooking with lard, here are the first of the results that have been reported.

More results will be included in next week's Mount Ayr Record-News as well.

Results for the 4-H exhibits that advanced on to the state fair from the exhibit building at the county fair were announced this week.

Receiving blue ribbons were: Alyssa Adams, Clover Kids Leader project; Cassidy Becker, Zentangle in a Jar and Clover Kids project; Jabe Burton, squirrel photo; Cal Daughton, hay rack; Amber Davison, family heritage bread; Kirsten Dolecheck, babovka; Haylea England, Farmall photo; Connor Giles, citizenship project; Madyson Henson, stamped coasters; Lew Knapp, Besieged DVD; Emily Newton, ABC book; Brook Rychnovsky, coat rack/shelf; Abbey Schafer, cupcake display; Anna Shervheim, girl photo; John Shields, park structure photo; Tessa Shields, photo; Hallie Still, turkey fan; Chania Vos, American Legion project; Cole Wilmes, BigFoot and Zombie masks; Clay Wimer: meat smoker, and Taylor Still, black and white dress.

Receiving red ribbons were Abbey Adams, portable light table; Bailey Cameron, creative letters; Marcus Daughton, hall tree; Madison Hosfield: Janie photo; Jena James, photo; Ethan Newton, yard Jenga; Tessa Shields, photo; Hallie Still, record flowers, and Taylor Still, glass bottle planter.

Megan Reasoner's sauerkraut was not placed.

Two Ringgold county residents were named winners when the best duck callers from across the state competed in a contest at the Iowa State Fair Thursday, Aug. 9.

In the four to 16 year old division, Brady Bickel, 9, of Diagonal took second place.

In the 17 years and up division, Joe Routh, 56, of Mount Ayr, took second place.

A Ringgold county resident placed in the Ladies' Chicken Calling contest judged Thursday, Aug.8 at the 2012 Iowa State Fair.

JoAnn Pollock of Mount Ayr placed third in a field of 26 chicken callers at the contest.

A Ringgold county resident took a first place in a division of the fine arts competition at the Iowa State Fair this year. Rebecca ABARR of Redding placed first in the fiber competition as one of the state's top artisans.

Katelyn Holmes of Benton showed the reserve champion Angus cow-calf pair at the Iowa State Fair in the FFA breeding beef show held Thursday, April 9.

A Ringgold county cook placed in competition in the C&H Canned Fruit Butters competition judged Wednesday, Aug. 8, prior to the start of the 2012 Iowa State Fair. Pamela Cooper of Mount Ayr placed third in the division for other types of fruit butters.

Judy Kiburz-Harrison of Mount Ayr tied for reserve sweepstakes honors in the Make It With Lard contest judged Wednesday, Aug. 8, at the Iowa State Fair. Kiburz-Harrison placed first in cookies other than those named, first in pumpkin bread, second in chocolate chip cookies, third in drop cookies and third in gingersnaps to tie for the reserve sweepstakes award.

Barbara Kiburz of Tingley tied for reserve sweepstake honors in the Midwest Living Cookie contes theld Wednesday and Thursday. Placings in the individual classes for Kiburz included first place in the thumbprint cookies (filled with jelly or frosted), first place in butterscotch oatmeal cookies, first in ranger cookies, first in chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, second in molasses cookies, second in unfrosted cookies other than named, second in oatmeal cookies without raisins, third in snickerdoodles, third in white chocolate, third in high fiber cookies and honorable mention in fruit drop cookies with dried fruit.

Also placing in the contest was Judy Kiburz-Harrison of Mount Ayr. She took first place in the coconut cookies contest, first in oriental cookies, second in unfrosted drop cookies other than named and third in sandwich cookies.

In the C&H Canned Preserves competition judged Tuesday, Aug.7, Ringgold county had a placing. Pamela Cooper of Mount Ayr received second place in the preserves other than mentioned division.

The best of Iowa's bakers battled for top honors in The Ivy's Quality Breads competition judged Wednesday, August 8, prior to the start of the 2012 Iowa State Fair.

Judy Kiburz-Harrison of Mount Ayr took first place in the pumpkin bread with nuts, third place in the pumpkin bread with raisin class and third in the pumpkin date bread class.

 Ringgold County Fair queen Megan DOUBLEDAY, 18, of Mount Ayr participated in the Iowa State Fair queen competiton on Saturday, Aug. 11.

(Iowa State Fair/ Steve Pope Photography)

  Least look-a-like winners Jillian and Tessa Kniep of Mount Ayr took part in the Twins, Triplets and More Competition Thursday, Aug. 9 at the Bill Riley Stage at the Iowa State Fair.

The competition has two categories: look-a-like and least look-a-like. The age groups range from infant to elderly.

The Knieps won the least look-a-like competition for their age group, seven to eight year olds. The girls are the daughters of Clint and Shaun Kniep of Mount Ayr.

  Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, August 23, 2012

Ryann Martin of Mount Ayr stood on the top of the stand in first place when medals were handed out for the tumbling run competition at the Iowa State Fair. Leslie's Dance Emporium students placed first, second and third in the competition.

In the AMHR mare senior champion and reserve under 30 inches the WEEDAS were placed second. In the AMHR multicolor mare34 inches and under class, their entry received one first and one fourth placing. In the AMHR multicolor stallion 34 inches and under class, one entry received a first and a third placing while another received one fifth placing.

In the AMHR stallion foal of the current year 30 inches and under class, the Weeda entry received one third and one fifth place finish. In the AMHR yearling stallion 30 inches and under classification, a third and a fifth place were awarded for their entry.

In the AMHR yearling stallion 32 inches and under class, they received a second from one judge and a fourth from the other.

Winners of many of the livestock awards for 4-Hers were announced this week.

Placings included:

Breeding beef: Cassidy Becker, Angus, purple award; Taylen Abarr, Maine-Anjou high percentage, blue; Taylen Abarr, Shorthorn Plus, blue; Cassidy Becker, Angus, blue; Caylie Hickman, Simmental, blue; Caylie Hickman: Foundation Simmental, blue; Megan Warin: Simmental, blue; Drew Willis: commercial heifers, blue; Hagan Willis, Chianina, blue.

Market beef: Haylea England, crossbred steers, purple; April Shields, crossbred steers, blue.

Dairy goats: Megan Reasoner: Nubian six months and under one year, blue; Megan Reasoner, rec. grades six months and under one year, blue; Megan Reasoner: Nubian four months and under five months, blue; Megan Reasoner: Nubian six months and under one year, blue; Megan Reasoner, Nubian four months and under five months, blue; Sarah Reasoner, Alpine two years and under three years, blue; Sarah Reasoner, rec. grades four months and under five months, red; Sarah Reasoner: Nubian four months and under five months, blue; Sarah Reasoner: Nubian six months and under one year, blue; Sarah Reasoner, rec. grades under two years in milk, red.

Breeding swine: Johnathan Triggs, commercial gilts blue; Johnathan Triggs, commercial gilts, blue; Tyler Triggs, commercial gilts, blue; Tyler Triggs, commercial gilts, blue.

Showmanship: Cassidy Becker, beef showmanship grades seven and eight, blue; Caylie Hickman, beef showmanship grades five and six, blue; Drew Willis, beef showmanship grades five and six, blue; Johnathan Triggs, swine showmanship grade nine through 12, blue; Tyler Triggs, swine showmanship grades nine through 12, blue.

Two photos by county 4-Hers also received special recognition. The special photograhy award medal winners considered for the 4-H Gallery went to John Shields and Haylea England. This award is sponsored by the Professional Photographers of Iowa.

In the FFA horse show, Morgan Quick of Redding had two placings. She was first in the barrel racing event and placed third in the ranch horse pleasure class.

In the FFA Ag Mechanics competition, the group of Mount Ayr Community ag mechanics class project of restoring the John Deere tractor in memory of Konnor Klommhaus received a first place honor.

Students from Leslie's Dance Emporium competed in the Iowa State Fair tumbling competition on Saturday August 18.

The students went 1, 2, 3 in the compulsory tumbling run.

Ryann Martin placed first, Breanna Wallace second and Cassity Riley third.

Martin and Wallace also competed in the optional tumbling run, with Martin receiving second place and Wallace third place.

In the mom calling contest,nine-year-old Haylee Fletchall of Mount Ayr tied for third place.

In the diaper derby, 12-month-old Dallas Newton took first in the fourth heat.

In the ladies' nail driving contest, two Ringgold county residents took placings.

Second place went to Carey Lynam, 35, of Diagonal, while third place went to Lynda Triggs, 50, of Mount Ayr.

  Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, August 30, 2012

Final results from the Iowa State Fair for Ringgold county 4-H projects were received this week. They included the results of the rabbit and communications judging.

In the rabbit show, Megan Reasoner received a blue with a roast erentry and a blue with a junior buck commercial entry.

In the communications projects, Taylor Still received an excellence award with her educational presentation on "How to Cut Glass Bottles for Crafting."

Caroline McAlexander and Ryann Martin received a participation award in the Share the Fun class with their clogging routine.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey recognized Century and Heritage Farm families during a ceremony at the Iowa State Fair again this year and two families had Heritage Farms and four had Century Farm awards.

To qualify, a family must have owned at least 40 acres for 100 years or more in the case of Century Farms and 150 years or more for a Heritage Farm.

This year 345 Century Farms and 69 Heritage Farms were recognized.

Recognized from Ringgold county in the Heritage Farm division were Alice Gardner of Redding and Kyle and Pamela Shaha and Kurtis and Wendy Shaha of Mount Ayr.

Recognized for Century Farm status were Frederick H. and Joann M. Barker of Mount Ayr, John F. and Mary C. Overholtzer of Tingley, Gerald L. and Teena M. Petersohn of Tingley and Glen Deblert and Bernadine M. Routh of Diagonal.

"The Century and Heritage Farm program is a celebration of Iowa agriculture and the farm families who feed the world and care for the land. It is always a special privilege and a great joy to be able to honor these families who represent the rich legacy of Iowa Agriculture," Northey said.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has partnered with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation since 1976 to recognize families who have owned and worked a farm for 100 years or more.

Including this years recipients, now 17,486 farms from across the state have been recognized.

The Heritage Farm program was started in 2006, on the 30th anniversary of the Century Farm program, and now 583 farms have been recognized.

The 2012 Century and Heritage Farms Program ceremony was held at the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, August 14. Craig Hill, President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, and Joe Heinrich, Vice President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, joined Northey in recognizing the award recipients.

  Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, September 06, 2012

Doug, Susan, Caylie and Ryker Hickman of Top Line Simmentals of Mount Ayr participated in the Iowa State Fair open class Simmental show. Caylie Hickman showed the cow and bull calf that made up the pair that received honors as the top Iowa cow/calf and grand champion overall cow/calf pair.

Results from sheep show and Gelbveih cattle shows at the Iowa State Fair were announced this week, which included some local winners.

In the wether sire/dam sheep show, Matthew Weeda of Mount Ayr had placings in two divisions. In the ram lamb 94 to 150 pound class, Weeda showed the third place lamb. In the ram lamb 182-224.5 pounds, Weeda had both the fifth and the 10th place entry.

In the Gelbvieh cattle show, McCreary and McCreary of Mount Ayr placed in several classes.

In the early spring heifer yearlings Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, 2011, the McCreary's had a seventh place finish. In the early spring junior bull calves Jan. 1 through Feb. 29, 2012 class, the McCrearys took fifth and seventh place.

Photographs courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2012