The Monroe County Fair brings together families, animals, and community traditions that span generations. At its heart is 4-H — a nationwide youth development program that teaches responsibility, leadership, and hands-on skills through projects in agriculture, STEM, and more. The four H’s stand for “head, heart, hands, and health.” In Monroe County, it often starts in the barn.
Nick Bullman said his daughter Audrey’s is showing sheep for the first time in the regular 4-H program.
“We’re kind of winging it this year,” Bullman said. “We’re learning as we go. Today, we’re giving the sheep a bath, and with the horses, we’re braiding and banding their hair, just getting them show-ready.”
With temperatures high during fair week, Bullman said the animals stay safe and cool.
“The sheep are usually out in open pasture all day, up until nighttime. So they're used to the heat. The horses have fans on them, and they're stalled all the time, so they're good as well.”
The Bullman family has two sheep at the fair—one from a local farm and another from North Carolina, raised by a relative. They’re also showing four horses throughout the week.
Eight-year-old Audrey, who started in the Mini 4-H program for younger kids, said she’s been looking forward to this.
“I pretty much just walk my sheep, feed them, groom them,” she said. “But my favorite animals are my horses, because you get to do more with them—like ride them, groom them, and do barrels and poles.”
Audrey’s sheep—Magnolia and Maverick—are part of her new venture this year. A third, Ricky, stayed home.
Just a few stalls down, 9-year-old Alexandria Hall is preparing her own sheep for the show.
“I love how every animal here is so unique,” Hall said. “My sheep can be really funny—sometimes they jump up on the cage or get really loud.”
Hall, who has shown sheep for three years, said she enjoys walking them in the ring and practicing a technique called “bracing,” in which competitors guide and pose their sheep for the judge.
Ruby Makurac-Tapp, 8, has been around the fairgrounds since she was born. This year, she’s helping clean pens and care for sheep.
“My favorite part is probably loving on them,” she said. “But I also like the funnel cake and hanging out with my friends.”
Parents are just as involved. Meredith Lawrence has attended the fair with her family for nearly a decade. One of her daughters shows pigs and horses, while her son is all about the rides.
“The horse show is probably my favorite,” Lawrence said. “There’s just a lot more animal and farm stuff here than where I grew up. It’s become a tradition.”
From early mornings spent washing sheep to afternoons prepping horses for showmanship, the fair is less about competition and more about connection. For many Monroe County families, it's a week of hard work and shared memories.
The animals will remain at the fairgrounds through Friday, with horse shows beginning at 9 a.m. daily and sheep shows to follow. But the fair offers more than just livestock—visitors can also enjoy laser tag, hot air balloon rides, free concerts, fireworks, and a variety of family-friendly activities.
