ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Belmont County Fair was reduced to junior fair events only last year due to the pandemic, but the outpouring of local support made the animal showings and sales so successful they exceeded a “normal” fair year.

Now the Livestock Committee is meeting again in preparation for the upcoming fair, scheduled Sept. 6-12 at the fairgrounds west of St. Clairsville along Roscoe Road. Committee member Beth Stephens said they have high hopes for participation, since there will be a full fair this year.

“We hope that we have all the same buyers that we had last year, plus more, for the kids,” she said. “They were very glad to have the junior fair. … Belmont County buyers that support the kids are best.”

She added that the energy and enthusiasm is high among participants, and she does not expect ongoing economic difficulties to hamper the turnout of young people showing their agricultural and showmanship skills.

Leroy Carpenter, a fair board member and livestock superintendent, said a junior fair normally has about 600 projects. He said current plans are in place to welcome fair-goers to the full gamut of entertainment and events.

“We’re doing a full-fledged fair. We’ve got the rodeo, truck pulls, all the kids’ projects. We’ve got the circus coming back,” he said. “Hopefully it continues that way. …

“The entertainment is all booked. … We’ve got some local guys coming in to play music.”

He said the livestock showing and sale is central to the fair, and the youth take an active, leadership role.

“That’s our most important part. The most important part is that the kids get the privilege to show and go through a sale,” Carpenter said. “It’s all about the kids. We’re just the guiding figure. Without a doubt, the kids of Belmont County are outstanding. They basically run our livestock shows. The kids do a super job. We’re very proud of the kids of Belmont County.”

4-H Educator Tracey Dickerson has been with the organization for about a year. She said she was impressed by the enthusiasm of participants and the community.

“Last year was the biggest sale that you guys have had yet,” she said.

More than $547,000 was earned in sales.

“Even amongst COVID and just having junior fair, the support from the county was tremendous and we reached higher numbers, so there’s no reason to not expect the same thing this year. … The community really came out and supported these kids.”

She said the junior fair participants will be ready to wow buyers this year.

“The kids are very excited and I’m very excited to see the full fair in motion. I’ve not seen that yet or been a part of that,” Dickerson said.

“They’ve been working all summer preparing their projects, and we hope to have just as good of a sale this coming year. We’re proud of them and proud to be part of this community,” Dickerson said.

The sale begins at 1 p.m. Sept. 9. The sale order is rabbits, turkeys, ducks, broilers, lambs and goats. At 5 p.m. there will be swine, fat steers, dairy feeders, heifer feeders and steer feeders.

Stephens added the sale committee works closely with the 4-H educator to conduct and promote the junior fair sale. The committee has helped pay for livestock scales, new gates and panels for the show/sale arena, wooden benches, rubber mats, the beef barn addition, a new announcer stand, air curtains for barns, animal tags, turkey pens, various concrete and gravel. It has also helped with the 2021 livestock clinic, obtaining other items and advertising for the sale.

She added that all the adults involved are volunteers.

The committee will send out gate passes to buyers who have purchased an animal in the past two years along with a sandwich coupon for the night of the sale. Anyone interested in purchasing an animal at this year’s fair who hasn’t purchased in the past should contact one of the committee members or Stephens at 740-391-0021 for more information.

“We look forward to seeing you at the 2021 Belmont County Fair,” Stephens said.