Smith-Hondo Fall Fair & Rodeo
Joe McWilliams
Lakeside Leader
The 40th annual Smith-Hondo Fall Fair and Rodeo stood out for a number of reasons; one of them was a plane crash tragedy that took the life of a local man. It put everything that came after in a different light, but it otherwise went ahead more or less as planned, and for once the weather cooperated.
“It was a real emotional weekend for everybody,” says Smith area resident and M.D. councillor Becky Peiffer.
The event had a big variety of attractions spread out over three days – something for just about everyone. It included a pancake breakfast, bench show, poultry show, petting zoo, pony rides, bouncy castles, chainsaw competition, dinner and dance – all that plus a rodeo made up the 40th annual Smith-Hondo Fall Fair and Rodeo that ran from Aug. 30/Sept. 1 this year. And we’re probably missing several things. Here are a few: Junior Gymkhana, Kid’s Night, supper at the Legion, fireworks, quad rally, and beer garden.
Bench show overall winners in the two main categories were as follows (First, second and third place): Sandy Sterling, Margaret van Rompaey and Pat Jolliffe in the Adult category and in the Junior it was Kate Hampton, Esther Hampton and Naomi Hampton. Winning the raffle for a colt donated by Vic Abel of Kinuso was Jan Bosma. Money raised by the raffle is to be donated to the Smith Library. The overall winner in the poultry show was Debbie Parsons’ ‘heavy hen.’
There were other events and other winners, but these were the ones we were able to get.
