“There is something magical about the Clark County Fair,” said Jennings, who graduated from Global Impact STEM Academy. “It really defines the community.”
Jennings has been an active fair participant for 10 years, primarily focusing on raising and showing cattle.
These years have taught her “how to take on a big project” by herself, Jennings said. She’s learned how to set and finish a goal, and she is grateful to have experienced the pride and responsibility that comes with that.
Some of Jennings’ best memories of her years at the fair include moments that capture the hard work and dedication she has put into projects.
Jennings recalls the year she competed in the Showman of Showmen competition — an interspecies mashup where the best of the best compete to see who can skillfully show different species of animals.
For Jennings, this was valuable because her role was “defined by how much work and time” she put in, she said.
It also showed just how much she had learned about livestock during her time at the fair, Jennings said.
In the end, she says the “quantitative goals” she’s pursued over the years “ultimately don’t matter as much as the life lessons and perspective gained.”
That’s not to say she’s not feeling a little nostalgic about this phase of her life coming to a close.
“As I reflect on these years, I remember all of the hours I got to spend in the barn with my dad preparing for the fair,” Jennings said.
Saying goodbye to the fair has allowed her to look back at special moments and make connections within the beef industry that will impact her future endeavors, Jennings said.
But saying goodbye doesn’t mean it’s the end of the Clark County Fair’s impact on Jennings’ life. She plans to do what she can to support future 4-H and FFA members in whatever ways possible. That might look like mentoring young fairgoers, investing in projects or making new industry connections.
Those aspects of the fair life are also part of her new path in life. Jennings plans to attend Oklahoma State University in the fall and study agricultural business and communication with a specific interest in farm succession planning.
For Jennings, saying goodbye to the Clark County Fair is just the beginning.
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