o What: Clark County Fair.
o Hours today: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
o Where: 17402 N.E. Delfel Road, Ridgefield.
o Admission: Adults, $11.25; seniors 62 and older, $9.25; kids 7-12, $8.25 (includes processing fees); kids 6 and younger, free. Parking, $6. C-Tran shuttle, free from area Park & Ride lots.
o Carnival: Opens at noon.
o Highlights: Tuff Trucks, at 2 and 7 p.m., in the grandstands.
o Other: Cheeseburger-eating contest at 1 p.m.; Rachel Wong performs soulful pop at 5 p.m.
o Pets: Not permitted, except for personal service animals or those on exhibition or in competition.
o Information: www.clarkcofair.com or 360-397-6180.
o What: Clark County Fair.
o Hours today: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
o Where: 17402 N.E. Delfel Road, Ridgefield.
o Admission: Adults, $11.25; seniors 62 and older, $9.25; kids 7-12, $8.25 (includes processing fees); kids 6 and younger, free. Parking, $6. C-Tran shuttle, free from area Park & Ride lots.
o Carnival: Opens at noon.
o Highlights: Tuff Trucks, at 2 and 7 p.m., in the grandstands.
o Other: Cheeseburger-eating contest at 1 p.m.; Rachel Wong performs soulful pop at 5 p.m.
o Pets: Not permitted, except for personal service animals or those on exhibition or in competition.
o Information: www.clarkcofair.com or 360-397-6180.
RIDGEFIELD — Dr. Mary Ann Haggerty looks, listens and feels as she makes her rounds through the barns at the Clark County Fair each morning.
As the fair’s volunteer veterinarian, it is her job to keep an eye and ear out for anything unusual going on with the animals brought in mostly by 4-H and FFA exhibitors.
Haggerty wanders through each barn to check on the animals and gauge the air temperature. A hot barn can cause stress on some animals, like the sheep and rabbits, she said. She looks for animals that appear to be overly stressed, have visible signs of sickness, such as coughing, or are refusing to eat.
This is the second year Haggerty has volunteered as the fair’s veterinarian. She runs her own practice, Alder Creek Veterinary Clinic, in Battle Ground.
“It’s bit of a learning thing for me, too,” she said of her role at the fair. “I’m much better this year than last year.”
Haggerty oversees all of the fair’s animals except for the horses. That’s where the doctors of Ridgefield Equine Clinic come in. On Thursday morning, Dr. Alice Lombard looked over the incoming horses, a task that can take anywhere from two to four hours on any given day.
All three doctors from the Ridgefield clinic tend to the horses throughout the fair. Each takes a turn while the other two handle responsibilities at the clinic. This is also the second year the Ridgefield doctors have volunteered at the fair.
“It’s just a good time to get connected with the horsemen in the county,” Lombard said.
“I like interacting with the kids,” she added. “A lot of these kids, we joke, this is their Disneyland. A lot of hard work goes into getting these horses here, and it’s fun to watch it.”
Lombard and the other equine doctors look over the horses during the intake process in the morning and evenings. They spend about three to five minutes inspecting each horse, she said.
“We go through them with a fine-tooth comb. We make sure they are happy and healthy,” Lombard said.
She said there haven’t been any illnesses or major injuries this year. “Knock on wood,” she added.
But in case of emergencies, she keeps her fully-stocked truck — equipped with an X-ray machine, ultrasound, prescriptions and much more — on standby.
Once the horses are given the go-ahead, the doctor returns to the clinic and is on call for the fair during the day.
Haggerty has a similar schedule.
Some mornings, she arrives at the fairgrounds by 6 and begins screening the incoming animals to ensure they don’t have an illness that can spread in the barns or to people. “Public safety is first, and then animal safety,” she said.
Other mornings, she starts by 8 and makes her rounds to make sure all of the animals are still healthy. “Fair is tiring for the animals, too,” she said.
During examinations, Haggerty looks at the animals’ eyes, nose and ears to make sure there isn’t any discharge. She lifts all of their feet and picks through fur to search for lice, she said. Goats, alpacas, cows and chickens are just a few of her patients. Pigs can be particularly ornery during the examination process, she said.
A large group of volunteers helps inspect the animals, as Haggerty is unable to examine every one herself. The fair sees hundreds of animals during its 10-day stretch. If a volunteer finds anything unusual, Haggerty is called. She determines if the animal needs to be sent home.
“That makes my job the sad job of being the bad guy,” she said. “We don’t take it lightly. The kids have worked really hard to get here. For them to not be able to come is really sad.”
However, turning away the youngsters is part of teaching them how to properly care for their animals, Haggerty said.
Although she’s had to turn some animals away this year for various reasons, Haggerty said there haven’t been any major injuries.
There was a bit of excitement on the first day of the fair, however, when a calf was born. Haggerty said she was unable to help with the birthing process so Lombard stepped in to lend a hand.
Haggerty admitted that volunteering at the fair can be a little stressful but said she enjoys seeing the work the kids have put into their animals.
“It’s a good place to be. I would love to see more kids involved,” she said. “It helps them get back in touch with nature.”
