Horse training seminars, rows of farm and ranch equipment, live music, and a wide variety of vendors and events greeted attendees Friday at the Four States Agricultural Expo.
The three-day event at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds continues through Saturday.
Friday morning, a small but growing crowd visited vendors in the main pavilion as guitarist Donny Johnson performed entertaining country tunes.
Organizer Cindy Clare said attendance was up over last year, which had very low turnout because of pandemic restrictions.
The number of vendors also rebounded to 55, she said, not too far off from the usual 60 to 65 during prepandemic times.
“We’re rebuilding, and people are coming back out. We’re hoping for a big turnout today and on Saturday,” she said.
Snowy weather hit the event Thursday, so bring boots to negotiate muddy conditions at the fairgrounds.
Transportation is provided from the parking lot to the various events, and sunny weather on Friday was drying out the grounds.
At the Equestrian Barn, a dozen people watched trainer West Taylor demonstrate how to train nervous horses and those who have suffered trauma.
At the Children’s Barn, kids drew from a hat for a chance to catch a chicken.
To follow the pandemic’s social distancing protocols, only one kid at a time was put in the cage to catch a chicken. During more normal times, a group of kids chased the chickens all at once.
It didn’t take long for Tregen White to chase one down and gather it up in his arms as his family urged him on. For his efforts, he got to take the chicken home.
And that is the point, said Brian Lopez, vice president of the expo.
“Raising chickens is great starter project for kids. It gets them interested in agriculture,” he said.
Nearby, Michelle Bell led her miniature appaloosa, Weyakin, to the children’s barn.
The 10-year-old loves children, and lets them ride him, Bell said. The miniature horse also enjoys pulling a cart.
Saturday is Veterans Day at the expo. Veterans get in free, and there will be a VFW presentation of the colors at noon at the main pavilion.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com