By Carleen Wild
Moody County Enterprise
Threatening skies lingered over the start of the 2026 Moody County Fair, but the rain stopped moments before parade entries left the Moody County Museum staging area Thursday evening.
From there, events went largely as planned throughout the night, including the community meal, the kids tractor pull and livestock shows Friday and Saturday. The Flandreau City Band was the only performance that did not happen due to rain forecasted.
Fair and county officials said they were pleased with this year’s turnout. Lines formed at food vendors Friday evening, while old friends gathered around the barns and arena to visit, showcase livestock and take part in the many traditions that keep families returning year after year.
For 18-year-old Elijah Winterton of Garretson, Saturday at the fair was the culmination of months of work.
Winterton, who recently graduated, has shown livestock at the Moody County Fair for at least 10 years. He said he enjoys working with the animals every day at home and then coming to the fair to show what that work has accomplished.
This year, he accomplished quite a bit.
Winterton was named all-around champion in beef after showing the only two market steers entered in the competition. Both belonged to him, so the result was not necessarily a surprise. What he did not expect was for his breeding doe to also be named champion in the goat show.
Other young exhibitors shared that same pride in seeing a summer project come together.
Julia Eggers showed baby beef and a goat and said she did pretty well. Her father said raising and showing livestock is a good summer project that teaches responsibility. For Julia, much of the fun came from simply getting to spend time with the animals.
But getting an animal ready for show doesn’t happen overnight, the youngster said.
“You have to be patient. You can’t just put a halter on it and have it walk perfectly. You have to, like, get it halter broke, then you can try and pull it around,” Julia said.
Caradee Gorter of Pipestone knows the routine well.
You have to work with them every day, but to get them ready for the actual fair, we have to wash them the day before, and then we have to blow them, make sure their legs look nice and fluffy, and then we blanket them to make sure they don’t get dirty. That’s about it.”
She said sheep are rewarding animals to raise and that 4-H offers lessons extending well beyond the livestock barn.
“Patience. I really struggle with patience. So my sheep have really taught me to calm down and just be patient.”
Chloe Olivier, also of Pipestone, has attended the Moody County Fair since she was young. Her sister shows livestock, but Olivier said the friendships and atmosphere keep bringing her back.
“I always come. I like to hang out with my friends.”
It was a sense of connection that could be felt across the fairgrounds throughout the weekend, as the annual event gives everyone an opportunity to slow down, reconnect and enjoy another county fair — along with one of the final official local weekends of summer — together.
More Moody County Fair photos on page 10 of this week’s Moody County Enterprise