By Cathy Spaulding
Phoenix Staff Writer
October 04, 2008 12:22 am
—
Asia Gray, who turns 5 this month, didn’t look too sure about feeding the Texas longhorn at the Muskogee Regional Fair on Friday night.
She and her little sister, Shakiera Gray, had just finished feeding some baby goats that had dry, fuzzy lips and were not too much bigger than the girls were. They had some feed left over in the cup they had bought. The girls’ stepfather, John Johnson of Muskogee, guided Asia to the longhorn and helped her hold her hand to the cow’s wet lips.
“Ooh, nasty,” she said, yanking her hand away.
That was one way youngsters, their parents and grandparents learned about farm animals inside the Animal Specialties petting zoo tent at the fair, which ends today at the Muskogee Fairgrounds.
The petting zoo features more than 275 farm animals ranging from newborn chicks to Brahma steers and other bovine creatures such as a zebu and an African longhorn cow called a watusi.
Asia and Shakiera not only fed animals, they also got to milk a Jersey cow named Babe.
Johnson said he enjoys taking the girls on such trips.
“They can see these animals in books, but here they see them in real life,” he said.
Connie Boger, who runs Animal Specialties with her husband, Bunky, called the petting zoo an educational animal exhibit.
“It’s educational, but people don’t realize that it’s educational,” Boger said.
She said she takes the petting zoo, which is based in Lowell, Ark., to fairs and events from Florida to Idaho, primarily during fall. The whole set-up, animals, tents and all, fills three trailers, she said.
In addition to the petting zoo, the Bogers also have pony rides and Harley the hog, a 1,200-pound pig, in tents across the midway from the petting zoo.
Cynthia Gilbert took her two grandchildren to the petting zoo Friday night. She said it was the second time this week she took them to the fair.
She said her son, Chris Noe, who is stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., and his family will go home first thing this morning.
“He deploys to Iraq in November,” she said.
Noe’s 4-year-old son, Anthony, said he liked feeding the goats, though sometimes seeing so many seemed confusing. When one goat poked his head through its wire fence, Anthony said, “Hey, aren’t you the same guy I saw in another cage?”
About the fair
WHAT: Muskogee Regional Fair.
WHERE: Muskogee Fairgrounds, 1444 S. Cherokee St.
ADMISSION: Free.
Fair schedule
• Ride all the rides wristbands $20.
Today
• 3 to 11 p.m., Fair and carnival open.
• 7 p.m. — Sand Creek Band, live music under the tent.
• 7:30 p.m. — Muskogee Invitational Open Bull Riding, indoor arena.
Information: 687-4406.
Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.