LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky State Fair is underway, and that means thousands of visitors will fill its fairgrounds and exhibit halls. But well before the first attendees arrive, competitors in the various livestock events have to make sure they’re ready.
Like many of the people competing, showing animals is a family affair. This includes the Wood family, which runs Woodland Farm in Shelby County.
19-year-old Anna Wood, along with her siblings, are showing dairy cows this year. Woods believes they’ve got a good shot at winning big.
In the afternoon leading up to the first show, Wood shears Berkeley, a one-year-old dairy cow.
“The younger ones, they still don’t like it because they are not as used to it,” Wood said.
Even though she’s attending college at Morehead State, when it comes time for competitions, you’ll find her working long hours alongside her family.
“I’m a competition kind of person so I like the competition but I also like to talk to people,” Wood said.
With a display of ribbons and trophies displayed next to their cattle, it’s not hard to see Woodland Farm has seen success in the last few years. It’s a pastime passed down for generations that shows the hard work and dedication of dairy farmers.
“My dad started showing dairy cows when he was little, my sister when she was old enough she started showing too, and then it just trickled down to all of us,” Wood said.
It takes the right person to spend countless hours taking care of these animals. Hard work that most young people aren’t always interested in. But for Woodland Farm, they’ve got plenty of young minds ready to lend a helping hand.
Dairy cattle judging is already underway, judging for each of the categories will go through the first weekend of the fair.