Fair needs to review procedures to prevent kids' hurt feelings

We were at family night Saturday night out at the fairgrounds and we participate as a family each year.

Our 8-year-old son Nick was scheduled for three events: Gunny sack race, chicken scramble and mutton bustin’. He had never participated in mutton bustin, but it’s all he talked about leading up to this year’s fair. When they called the event, he went down to the gate, helmet in hand, with me, his dad. The gal at the gate (names aren’t the important thing here) looked at his tag and said, “This doesn’t have a red mark,” he can’t participate”. I incredulously shot back, “What are you talking about, he’s signed up.”  She said she personally handled the registrations , that the event was limited to 30 and he wasn’t one of the first 30.

This information was not conveyed to my father-in-law who signed our son up. Tears streaming down Nick’s eyes, we returned to our seats and joined our family in the stands.

We said the things to our son parents are supposed to say to a kid in tough situations: Life isn’t always fair, things happen, there’s always next year, etc. When my wife counted fewer than 30 kids walking to the paddock for the event, I said, “Nick, come with me” and we returned to the gate.

This time a guy was there and when I said there were fewer than 30 kids walking out and if there was an opening for him to let Nick participate. He refused a head count, saying that there were some additional kids behind the paddock. Anyway, there were in fact a couple of open slots (the announcer said they needed other riders) so in the last two heats a sheep went out rider-less.

Nick regrouped for the chicken scramble and grabbed up a chicken which soothed things some what. Our competitive son returned to the stands, trophy in hand (or gunny sack, as it was). Seeing a crying little girl in the stands because she didn’t get a duck in her event, Nick handed over his chicken to her to the delight of the girl.

While the girl hugged Nick, her mom said, “You just made her night.”  Nick did the same thing last year. He gave his chicken to a girl who caught one in the scramble, but lost it to a kid who grabbed it up when she put it down momentarily.

We’re proud of Nicholas. He gives with a spirit of grace and willingness. Next year, whoever is handling registrations should consider their procedures. Issuing a tag to a kid who is going to be denied participation doesn’t make sense.

 If you have an event with a limited number of slots, make sure the slots are filled. Line up some “alternates” in the event of a no-show, late scratch, etc. You just might make some kid’s night while preventing unnecessary heartache.

PAUL KRAMES

Sagle