Boredom was not an option.
From gymkhana to a heavy horse pull, arm wrestling to a petting zoo, face painting to a trade and produce show, bouncy castles to space mazes … the 39th annual Rich Valley Fair provided something for everyone over the weekend.
Hundreds of people flocked to the Agriplex over Saturday and Sunday to take advantage of the fine July weather. Okay, there were a few spots of rain towards the end of Saturday, but not nearly enough to spoil a great gymkhana that featured riders of all ages.
They rode between poles, they pulled stakes from the ground and threw them into barrels, they cantered, trotted and walked. There were whoops of joy, there was laughter, and there were one or two bumps and bruises as well.
The sight of the gymkhana must have been especially welcome to organizers, the Rich Valley Agricultural Society, after rain forced its cancellation last year.
Inside the arena, a trade and produce show was chock-full of items to delight all the senses. Artist Lorna Matsuda, who hails from the Onoway area, had presented her own form of gymkhana: a display of acrylic paintings of horses. A former horse trainer and show rider, and the owner of two quarter horses, Sheba and Prudent, she has been painting wildlife for more than 50 years.
“I’ve always had a passion for horses,” she said. “There is something about them.”
Her paintings reflect her detailed knowledge of a horse’s anatomy.
“I’m a realist painter,” she said. “I like to convey emotion. The eyes of a horse are very important.”
Nearby Trudy Kulcsar was selling baked goods. Strawberry pies, cakes, squares, cinnamon buns, cookies, bread – they were spread before her like a sumptuous feast. Who could resist? Not many it seems.
“You should have come earlier,” she said. “The tables were piled high.”
Self-taught, Kulcsar has been baking for as long as she can remember.
“I used to bake for my kids when they were little,” she said. “Then they told me ‘why not sell your goods, instead of giving them away?’”
She took their advice and now runs Trudy’s Bakeshop.
Meanwhile, just outside the arena children were bouncing about in a heavenly world of inflatables. There were castles, slides, fun obstacles, tunnels and a space maze where you battled it out with laser guns.
Saturday evening featured a roast beef supper, dessert auction and country music performance from Jo Hikk,
What a great way to round off a great day in the valley of rich entertainment.
