A girl and her sheep

Lea este artículo en español aquí.

My name is Jessica Parga and I decided to create a few photo essays about the San Benito County Fair. I documented a variety of fair contestants over the past few weeks as they prepared their entries and then participated in their respective departments. 

I was born and raised in Hollister so this fair was always a pretty big deal to me personally.

I moved back to Hollister this summer after attending San Diego State University and working there for a couple years. I was an intern at the San Diego Union-Tribune last summer and did water sports photography at Mission Bay Aquatic Center. I’m bringing back all the skills I picked up while I was away… to share one of my favorite hometown stories.

I first met with Giada Venuti (11) while she worked with her two lambs that she entered with 4H. Giada has been a part of 4H for three years and continuously works toward being the best in showmanship. Every day she spends at least an hour feeding, exercising, and caring for her two lambs, Georgie and Mandy.

This year the temperatures were around 105 degrees. Large fans rotated air towards the animals and youth in their traditional white long sleeves and pants. The heat is like a staple of the fair’s October weekend, “They always pick the hottest weekend of the season,” joked one resident.  

Giada gathers with other 4H and FFA members at the 101st San Benito County Fair on Saturday Oct. 5.

A few weeks before the fair begins, Giada brings one of her lambs, Mandy, out of her pen on Sunday, Sep. 22, 2024. Mandy is known to be the more stubborn lamb of the two Giada is raising. She will enter into the commercial breeder showcase at the fair.

Here, the mild mannered male, Georgie, stands with Giada on Sunday, Sep. 22

Giada takes her 6 month old lamb, Georgie, on a walk around the property for some exercise. Giada has been raising her lambs since May of this year which includes regularly taking them out to walk.

Eye contact with the judge is an essential part of showmanship. It keeps her focused on the judge which helps smoothly transition the movements in the ring. The eye contact also makes her stand out from the rest of the competitors. The judge even made a remark to the crowd that he noticed how locked in she was. 

Giada looks on at the judge after he gives notes to the kids on how to improve next time and announces the showmanship winners. Giada’s second place ribbon in Junior Showmanship lays across Georgie’s back.  

All her hard work paid off as she came away with 2nd place in Junior Showmanship. 

The stage is set for auction day with the main show ring

Desiree Venuti, Giada’s mom, curls her hair before the auction.

A quick kiss for Georgie before they enter the auction ring.

Giada stands with Georgie on stage during the auction on Saturday Oct. 5, 2024. The auctioneer rapidly shouts out prices and then Georgie is sold for $18 a pound. 

She and Georgie take a quiet moment together and Giada gives him a little scratch on the head.

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