A new event is happening next week at the Greene County Fairgrounds with a specific goal in mind.

Katlynn Mechaelsen is the Greene County Fair Board Vice President and one of the organizers for the upcoming Greene County Gamble that is dedicating three days to four large animal species, including swine, sheep, goat and beef; for youth to compete in. Samantha Hardaway is one of the volunteers helping with this event that she says caters to youth that go to competitions across the country and compete in livestock shows at the national and state level, which Greene County Gamble is a sanctioned state contest.

“And so there’s youth in that beef species, or that sheep, goat, swine species that are traveling to win points essentially for how they place in the show. And those youth that win points in the show can then win money and prizes within their organization and association. But then also, just at each individual show it’s a jackpot show. So just kind of like what you think and that’s kind of how we came up with the name is ‘the (Greene County) Gamble’ because you’re gambling when you enter into that show to see if you win grand champion or if you get fifth overall.”        

Mechaelsen points out that there are pay outs for placements for each species as well. She explains one of the main reasons why the Greene County Fair Board wanted to get involved with a venture like this.

“I think that’s what we want to say as a Fair Board is to provide to the youth and have a positive experience. And so we’re hoping that they can get in and get experience now, that come July their experience at the Greene County Fair will be even better, they’ll be more comfortable, their species will be more comfortable.”  

Starting next Friday will be swine, followed by sheep and goat next Saturday, and wrapping up with beef next Sunday. Each day has different check-in and show times, as Mechaelsen urges youth to register via the showman app and to enter the Greene County Fairgrounds from the east on Lincoln Way, due to the Bell Tower Festival happening on the same days on the downtown square. She invites the public to check out the competitions as well and each of the livestock producer organizations will also be grilling food, including the Greene County Pork Producers for that Friday, Greene County Lamb Producers on Saturday and the Greene County Cattlemen’s Association on Sunday.

Anyone with questions can contact them via email at greenecountygamble@gmail.com or by clicking here.