State fair's ribbonfest more than pies and pigs

It's on.

State fair competitions - a holdout from the heartland - have drawn more than 4,500 entries to Virginia's new fairgrounds outside Richmond. That translates into a whole lot of pies, pumpkins, pig calling and tractor pulling.

There is also the unexpected. The offbeat. The downright odd.

Who knew a prize awaits the best Article Made From Spun Pet Hair? Or the top Chain Saw Carving? Or the No. 1 Party Dress Made From Duct Tape?

The fair, which opened Thursday, pulled in nearly 200 entries from South Hampton Roads - mostly food or arts and crafts. From a small farm deep in Chesapeake, though, 13-year-old

Danielle Turley is in a blue-ribbon run to have the smartest, swiftest, most daring goat on an obstacle course.

Danielle spent the summer training Cinnamon, a 6-month-old Boer doe. Manners came first: no butting, no pulling on her lead.

Danielle got a lesson, too: No goats in Mom's kitchen.

"I had to tell her," Lisa Turley said, " 'that's not a dog.' "

Next, Danielle persuaded Cinnamon to thread a maze of poles and hop a high jump. Then, she coaxed her to tiptoe along a balance beam, seesaw on a teeter-totter and leap over a large pan of water. Apparently, goats really hate water.

"That was the hardest one to get her to do," Danielle said.

Apparently, goats love treats more than they hate water.

And apparently, Virginians love their state fair. We've been holding one since 1854 with only a few interruptions. One was the Civil War.

More than 250,000 visitors are expected at this year's 11-day fair, located in a new $81 million complex on the old Meadow Farm in Caroline County, best known as the birthplace of Secretariat, horse racing's 1973 Triple Crown legend. Seems like a fitting place to showcase the best of the best - even if some of it is a little oddball.

By the way, Best Button Collection wins a $5 prize.

Joanne Kimberlin, (757) 446-2338, joanne.kimberlin@pilotonline.com