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Places of Interest Defiance County Fair | Defiance County Fair |
 Defiance County Fair aims to improve, develop and advance of agriculture, domestic industry, and public schools and hold public exhibits in connection with local community to own and maintain suitable real estate and buildings and doing any and all things necessary or incident thereto for the benefit of the residents of Defiance County and surrounding communities.Today's fair has roots stretching back to the 1851 exhibition of the Agricultural Society for Defiance County. They welcome any High School Varsity & Junior Varsity Cheerleading Squads. On behalf of the Defiance County Agricultural Society, the Board of Directors and Junior Fair Board are pleased to welcome you to the Defiance County Fair. This yearly fair to all the people, past an present, that have helped to make the Defiance County Fair the success it is today. The Defiance County Fair serves as a showcase for Defiance County youth participating in 4-H , FFA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Farm Bureau Youth. Fair provides the opportunity for youth to exhibit the results of their project efforts and to compete for awards and prizes under the Junior Fair Division of the fair in preparing for and putting on the Junior Fair Division activities at the Defiance County Fair. Center field attractions included Hicksville's Men's and Hart's Girl Band, solo acts, and Band. Buffalos Bill's Wild West Rodeo, high wire acts, fireworks, balloon ascensions, and, and livestock parades entertained. "Hicksville's star actress, Amelia Bingham, always came home for the fair. As time passed, the Defiance County Fair changed in some ways and stayed the same in others. Thus the old fair has come and gone. The new fair will soon be periodically. Defiance County Fair is maintained and organized by Defiance County Fair Foundation to raise funds in support of the Defiance County Fair. our first project is to replace the existing grandstand with a safer, cleaner, and more comfortable one. Grandstand Events include Harness Racing, Antique Tractor Pull, Straw Loading Contest, Crowning of 4-H Royalty, Parade of Bands, Fairview Young Farmers Pig Catch, Harness Racing, Garden Tractor Pull, Cheerleading Contest, Kid's Prize Drawing, Truck Pull, Demolition Derby etc. Annual Defiance County Fair competitions include Corn Hole Tournament, Mutton Bustin, and Horse Shoe Pitching Tournament. Also there is Free Midway Entertainment. All events and competitions have specific rules. Here are some ideas of Defiance County Fair for your information purpose. Alls are subject to change. Please visit the Defiance County Fair website for current information:  What is Cowgirls' Barrel Racing:Rodeo surveys have shown that cowgirls' barrel racing is consistently one of the favorite events of rodeo crowds throughout the country. Results in the barrel race are often decided by a mere thousandth of second and this race against time is especially exciting to watch.Cowgirls barrel racing is a race. The girls run the same clover leaf pattern around three barrels. The contestants may begin either with the right or left barrel. Time starts when the contestant crosses a starting line and ends after she has completed the pattern and raced back to the finish line. Horses used in this event are generally Quarter Horses with considerable thoroughbred blood mixed in for extra speed. Barrel racing horses are trained extensively and only the very best animals can turn in winning times consistently. It is not easy for a horse to run flat-out, check himself at full speed and make a 180 degree turn around a barrel, then run hard again to the next barrel. Kids start practicing on your stick horses, compete for a new bicycle, STICK HORSE RACES (two age groups 5 & under and 6-9) Join the fun. What is Steer Wrestling:Steer Wrestling is probably the most exciting event in the rodeo arena. When a man drops from a running horse onto the steer, stops the steer and throws him to the ground, spectators have seen skill overcome heavily weighted odds.The secret is this, as the cowboy catches up to the steer he reaches with his right hand grabs the right horn and as his horse speeds by the steer the cowboy gets the horn in the crook of his right elbow. At the same time his left hand pushes down on the other horn while his horse veers off to the left. The cowboys' heels drop ahead and at a 45 degree angle the path the steer is taking. The cowboy digs in his heels turns the steer's head and pulls it toward the center of a left hand turn. As the steer stops, his rear having swung around, the cowboy grabs the animal's nose with his left hand and with this sensitive hold, throws the steer onto his side. In addition to the steer wrestler, a second man, the hazer, is alongside the steer and to the onlooker all he seems to do is retrieve the wrestlers horse after the jump is made. Actually, he watches for mishaps which happen if the steer slams on his brakes or veers away from the wrestler or sometimes called the dogger. The hazer has to foresee these possibilities and correct the, often in a split second. This event is judged on the fastest time. Join the fun and watch the Steer Wrestlers at the upcoming International Professional Rodeo Association, World Championship Rodeo, produced by Broken Horn Rodeo, at Defiance County Fair, Hicksville, Ohio, What is Saddle Bronc Riding:Saddle bronc riding is rodeo's classic event, both a complement and contrast to the wilder spectacles of bareback riding and bull riding. This event requires strength to be sure but the event also demands style, grace and precise timing. Saddle bronc riding evolved from the task of breaking and training horses to work the cattle ranches of the Old West. Many cowboys claim riding saddle broncs is the toughest rodeo even to master because of the technical skills necessary for success.Every move the bronc rider makes must be synchronized with the movement of the horse. The cowboy's objective is a fluid ride somewhat in contrast to the wilder and less controlled rides of bareback riders. One of the similarities shared by saddle bronc and bareback riding is the rule that riders i both events must mark out their horses on the first jump from the chute. To properly mark out his horse the saddle bronc rider must have both heels touching the animal above the shoulder of the horse. As the bronc bucks, the rider pulls his knees up, rolling his dull spurs up on the horse's shoulder. As the horse descends, the cowboy straightens his legs, returning his spurs over the point of the horse's shoulder in anticipation of the next jump. Making a qualified ride and earning a money-winning score requires more than just strength and an eight second ride. The dependency of a cowboy has on his rein makes the difference between a good and a championship rider. A man who is not dependent on the rein alone but can relay on balance-will get a higher mark for his full are strokes. Equally important is the fact that some horses which the judges also score on how hard they buck, will "turn on" better if this passenger isn't hanging on the rein with brute force. The rider is down graded by the judges if he loses control. Cowboys call it "getting into a storm", and if this happens the saddle makes recovery more difficult. The cantle of the saddle, and the swells, in front, get under a man a literally know him out of it. The possibility of hanging up in a stirrup is always in the back of the rider's mind and is a great hazard to saddle bronc riding. Saddle bronc riding has less competition than any other event in professional rodeo. There's a reason, the instinctive reactions required to keep their feet in the stirrups, sense what a horse will do next, and the rhythm required, because there is nothing solid to hang onto makes this event, on of which you cannot substitute for years of experience. What is Bareback Bronc Riding:The 8-second bareback ride is confusing because sometimes a cowboy's wild spurring appears to be simply showing off while in fact the rhythm of a man's legs on his horse is all that keeps the rigging (a handhold on the sursingle) from being torn out of his hand. The bareback rider throws his feet forward in time with the horse's jumps, and at the same time this motion keeps his sear close to his riding hand. He's well aware that once he slips away from the handhold he's on the launching pad. The further back he gets on a high kicking horse the more trouble he gets into.Rules require the rider's dulled spurs be over the break of the horse's shoulders when the animal lands the first jump out of the chute, some bareback horses wheel out almost as quickly as the gate can be jerked open and the cowboy has a hard time keeping that outside foot where it is required to be. The judges are looking for the horse that gives the rider the most trouble for the full eight seconds. Onlookers when hearing the score often are mystified because the bronc who threw a spectacular ride, bucking and jumping, perhaps several times, wasn't marked higher by the judges. They failed to take into consideration that for some of the eight seconds the horse, in the judge's opinion, wasn't difficult to stay on. What is Bull Riding:The most popular rodeo riding event, and the most dangerous, is bull riding. Many of the big crossbred Brahma's go a whole season without being ridden the requested 8 seconds.Because they will charge their upended rider, only the Bullfighter can help the bull rider. Men on horses need to be careful as the bull will charge them. Teh Bulfighter's courage and anticipation of what the bull will do are the reasons that bull riders can feel saft. A bull rider uses a rope which is looped around the animal's middle. It is a flat plait with handhold like a snug handle of a duffel bag. Teh rider puts his gloved hand in this loop, knuckles down, and a friend, standing on the chute, pulls the slack out of ht erope. When the rope feels right to the rider, he takes the end of the rope and lays it across his palm, then he wraps it one behind his hand and lays it across the palm again. He clenches his fist and hunches his body close to his hand and then, as soon as he feels the bull standing squarely, he nods and the gate swings open. As long as the cowboy doesn't touch the bull with his free hand and still has his riding hand on some part of ht erope at the end of 8 seconds, the judges will score the ride on how hard the bull bucked an don how well the cowboy rode. What is Tie Down Roping:As with saddle bronc riding and team roping, the roots of tie-down roping can be traced back to the working ranches other Old West. When calves were sick or injured, cowboys had to rope and immobilize them quickly for veterinary treatment. Ranch hands prided themselves on speed with which they could rope and tie calves, and they turned their work into informal contests.Today, the mounted cowboy starts from a box, a three-sided fenced area adjacent to the chute holding the calf. The fourth side of the box opens into the arena. The calf receives a head start that is determined by the length of the arena. One end of a breakaway rope barrier is looped around the calf's neck and stretched across the open end of the box. When the calf reaches its advantage point, the barrier is released. If the roper breaks the barrier before the calf reaches its head start, the cowboy is assessed a 10 second penalty. The horse is trained to come to a stop as soon as the cowboy throws his loop and catches the calf. The cowboy then dismounts, sprints to the calf and throws it by hand, a maneuver called flanking. If the calf is not standing when the cowboy reaches it, he must allow the calf to get back on its feet before flanking him. After the calf is flanked, the roper ties any three legs together with a pigging string - a short looped rope he clenches in his teeth during the run. While the contestant is accomplishing all of that, his horse must pull back hard enough to eliminate any slack in the rope, but not so hard as to drag the calf. When the roper finishes trying the calf, he throws his hands in the air as a signal that the run is complete. The roper than remounts his horse rides forward to create slack in the rope and waits six seconds to see if the calf remains tied. If the calf kicks free the roper receives no time. What is Team Roping:Team Roping, fast gaining in popularity all across the United States. Team Roping is the only true team event in Professional Rodeo, it requires close cooperation and timing between two highly skilled ropers - a header and a heeler - and their horses. The event originated on ranches when cowboys needed to treat or brand large steers and the task proved too difficult for one man. The key to success? Hard work and endless practice. Team roping partners must perfect their timing, both as a team an dwith their respective horses. Similar to tie-down ropers and street wrestlers, team ropers start from the boxes on each side of the chute from which the steer enters the arena. The steer gets a head start determined on the length of the arena.One end of a breakaway barrier is attached to the steer and stretched across the open end of hte header's box. When the steer reaches his advantage point, the barrier is released, and the header takes off in pursuit, with the heeler trailing slightly behing. The ropers are assessed a 10 second penalty if the header breaks the barrier before the steer completes his head start. The header ropes first and must make one of three legal catches on the steer - around the horns, around one horn and the head, or around the neck. Any other catch by the header is considered illegal and the team is disqualified. After the header makes his catch, he turns the steer to the left and exposes the steers hind legs. If he catches only one foot, the team is assessed a five second penalty. After the cowboys catch the steer, the clock is stopped when there is no slack in their ropes and their horses face one another. Join the fun and watch the Cowgirls at the upcoming International Professional Rodeo Association, World Championship Rodeo, produced by Broken Horn Rodeo, at Defiance County Fair, Hicksville, Ohio. Are you interested in joining the Defiance County Fair Association? Have you always wondered what goes on behind the scenes at the Defiance County Fair? Are you ready to get your hands dirty? If so, then you are ready to fill out the Application. Anyone 21 years and older that lives in the Defiance County can purchase a membership for the Defiance County Fair Association, and vote during the election. Go to the Sectaries office, and ask them for a Membership to the Defiance County Fair Association. Fee fixed by the Board of Directors. This Membership, gives the holder the Right to Vote at the Elections - very important. Ask the Sectary for the Application. The Sectary will explain what seats are coming up, and you will have to inform the Sectary which seats that you would like to apply for. Must have 12 signatures. Defiance County Fair Ground Directions in Hicksville, DEFIANCE, OhioFort Wayne, INSt Rd 37, Continue on St Rd 37 through Harlan IN, Continue on State Route 2 (Name Changes in Ohio). Continue on W High St., Turn Right on S. Main St., this will run you right into the fairgrounds. Defiance, OH St. Rt. 18, Continue on OH-18 through Sherwood OH, Turn Left onto 49S/2W/18 (Marathon on Left-hand side), Continue on W High St., Turn Left on S. Main St., this will run you right into the fairgrounds. Paulding, OH St. Rt. 49N, Continue on 49N through Antwerp OH, Turn Right on W High St., Turn Right on S. Main St., this will run you right into the fairgrounds. Contact Defiance County FairDefiance County Agricultural Society530 South Main Street PO Box 184, Hicksville, Ohio 43526 Fair information: 1-866-542-7575 Agricultural Society: (419) 542-7575 Speed Office: (419) 542-7649 Secretary’s Office: (419) 542-7575 Defiance County Fair Grandstand Project c/o The Defiance Area Foundation 511 Perry Street Defiance, Ohio 43512 Defiance County Fair Foundation Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (general inquiry) Phone: 419-542-7575 (general inquiry) Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (Board Chairperson) Phone: 419-658-2529 Phoenix Consulting (Campaign Representative) Phone: 740-485-9343 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Memberships Inquiry:County of Defiance: Ohio State University (OSU) Extension Office Defiance County Fair Website: http://www.defiancefair.com/ |
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