Rodeo & Bull Riding Light up the Arena at the Nevada County Fair

August 1, 2012 jd

Bull riding Nevada County Fair Photo credit: Nevada County Fair — Tickets are on sale now for the Donny Martin Memorial Bull Riding event and the Professional Rodeo, both taking place at next week’s Nevada County Fair. Photo credit: Nevada County Fair.

By Wendy Oaks

Action-packed, family-oriented events happening on Thursday and Friday at the Fair

Next week’s Nevada County Fair, August 8 – 12, will feature a rodeo on Thursday evening and the Donny Martin Memorial Bull Riding on Friday evening – both in the arena at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.

On Thursday, August 9, watch as contestants from California, Oregon and Nevada – as well as some of the finest bucking stock around – provide a family-oriented traditional rodeo for Fair-goers of all ages to enjoy. Watch as cowboys and cowgirls complete in traditional bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, bull riding, and barrel racing. In between competitions, there will be specialty acts, including Brian Potter, a rodeo clown visiting from Alabama. Chad Nicholson will serve as Master of Ceremonies. Don’t forget to check out Mutton Bustin’ and Calf Scramble – two crowd favorites – also happening at the Rodeo.

On Friday, August 10, don’t miss the Donny Martin Memorial Bull Riding – where riders attempt to stay on a bull for at least eight seconds while the animal tries to buck off the rider! Thirty bull riders from across the western United States will compete in this fast-paced, action-packed event. This event honors Donny Martin, a local bull fighter who was killed four years ago at the California State High School Finals.

Tickets to the Rodeo and Bull Riding are on sale now. If purchased before August 7, the cost is $10 for adults and $6 for children under 12. If purchased during the Fair, cost is $12 for adults and $8 for kids under 12. Ticket price does not include admission to the Fair. For both events, gates open at 6 pm and the excitements begins at 7 pm.

These events are presented by The Nevada County Pro Rodeo Association, created this year and comprised of individuals who believe in the Nevada County Fair’s deep agricultural heritage and community roots.

Additional arena events take place on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at the Fair. There’s Battle of the Bands on Wednesday, Tough Truck Racing and Monster Trucks on Saturday, and a Demolition Derby on Sunday. Tickets to all arena events are on sale now.

Tickets to all arena events are available at NevadaCountyFair.com , by calling the Fair Office at (530) 273-6217 (by August 6 at 5 pm), or stopping by the Fair Office.

The Nevada County Fairgrounds is located at 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley, 50 miles northeast of Sacramento, off Highway 49. For a complete schedule of events, visit NevadaCountyFair.com, or call (530) 273-6217.
Wendy Oaks
Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds
(530) 273-6217
wsoaks@gmail.com
Website: www.NevadaCountyFair.com
Facebook: Nevada County Fairgrounds

Nevada County Fair August 8 – 12, 2012
Draft Horse Classic September 20 – 23, 2012
Halloween at the Fairgrounds October 27, 2012
Country Christmas Faire November 23 – 25, 2012
For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

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Real Estate

Pending Home Sales in California Decline

July 31, 2012 jd

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported this week that contracts signed for previously owned homes in California took a dip in June. The decline in pending sales can be attributed to a lack of housing inventory.

C.A.R.’s Pending Home Sales Index declined 3.8 percent in June compared with May but posted a 4.7 percent increase compared with a year earlier.
Pending home sales are an early indicator of where sales are headed. Sales often close six to eight weeks after contracts are signed so a decline in June could mean weakness when July and August sales statistics are reported.
C.A.R.’s report also showed a decline in the number of foreclosed homes selling. Last month, foreclosed homes accounted for 20.2 percent of all pending sales, a decline of 22.6 percent from May and 29.2 percent in June 2011.
The share of equity sales – or non-distressed property sales – rose to 58 percent in June, up from a revised 56 percent in May. Equity sales made up 50.5 percent of all sales in June 2011.
The share of short sales edged up in June to 21.4 percent, up from 21.1 percent in May and from 20 percent a year ago.
The available supply of REOs for sale tightened slightly in June, with the Unsold Inventory Index declining from a 1.5-month supply in May 2012 to 1.4 months in June 2012. The June Unsold Inventory Index for equity sales stood at 3.7 months and was 5.3 months for short sales.

Read the full story
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Civil Engineer
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nevada county fair

Smith Family to be Reconized as Family of the Year at the Nevada County Fair

July 30, 2012 jd

The Smith Family Photo credit: Shaffers Originals of Grass Valley

By Wendy Oaks

The Smith Family of Nevada City has been named the 2012 Family of the Year by the Nevada County Fair’s Board of Directors. The Board chose the Smith Family because of their ongoing participation in the Nevada County Fair and their commitment to youth in agriculture.

Chip and Liz Smith moved to Nevada County about 15 years ago, and one of their first activities was attending the Nevada County Fair. Having moved here from Vermont, they were drawn to the beauty of the Fairgrounds and the activity in the livestock barn. During that visit, their daughter Chloe, who was 11 at the time, was invited to sit in the pygmy goat pen. Chloe fell in love, and that, says Liz, was the beginning of their “goat addiction and involvement in the Nevada County Fair and 4H.”

Since that time, Chip and Liz have been 4H leaders in goat projects – including pygmy, dairy, and meat goats – and now raise dairy goats. Liz shows the family dairy goats at the Fair each year, as well as in open shows. Chip works as the goat barn superintendent at the Nevada County Fair, and has also been showing goats in open shows for many years.

In the community, Chip volunteers with the Nevada County Ag Youth Boosters, volunteers at his children’s school, and has been a youth soccer and youth basketball volunteer coach for many years. Liz, who recently graduated from California State University, Sacramento, with her Master of Science degree in Counseling, also volunteered in the schools and at Sierra Adoption Services, and most recently at Community Recovery Resources.

Chip and Liz have four children –Kaitlin, 26; Chloe, 24; Isabelle, 12; and Joshua, 10. Kaitlin is a hair stylist in Grass Valley. Chloe, who showed as a 4H exhibitor and in open shows until she graduated from Nevada Union, will graduate in December with her Master of Science degree in Agricultural Education. Isabelle and Joshua, who attend Nevada City School of the Arts, have grown up at the “goat barn” at the Fair, and have shown as 4H, Open, and Independent exhibitors.

“Each year, Chip volunteers countless hours to the Fair as the goat barn superintendent,” said Sandy Woods, CEO of the Fairgrounds. “His volunteer services are greatly appreciated, and the Smith family’s enthusiasm and knowledge of goats, and countless hours of service, is greatly beneficial to the entire livestock community. We are thrilled to be able to recognize them as the Fair’s Family of the Year.”

About being named the Fair’s Family of the Year, Liz says, “It was a huge surprise to all of us, and we consider it a great honor. We are very thankful.”

The Smith Family will be honored at opening ceremonies of the Nevada County Fair, August 8 – 12. They will receive a Fair ticket package, as well a family portrait created by Shaffers Originals of Grass Valley.

Wendy Oaks
Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds
(530) 273-6217
wsoaks@gmail.com

Website: NevadaCountyFair.com
Facebook: Nevada County Fairgrounds

Nevada County Fair August 8 – 12, 2012

Draft Horse Classic September 20 – 23, 2012

Halloween at the Fairgrounds October 27, 2012

Country Christmas Faire November 23 – 25, 2012

For information about the Nevada County Fair, visit NevadaCountyFair.com or call (530) 273-6217.

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

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nevada county fair

Nevada County Fair Tickets on Sale Now

July 28, 2012 jd

Photo courtesy of Nevada County Fairgrounds

Buy early and save!

Tickets for the Nevada County Fair are on sale now. Purchase your admission, carnival, and parking tickets before the Fair begins and save money. Don’t forget those arena event tickets! You can also save time by purchasing your Fair tickets online.

Buy your admission tickets before August 7 at 5 pm and get an admission ticket for only $6. Or, purchase a ticket to attend the Fair on Thursday, Family Day, and get a “Be A Kid Again” adult admission ticket for only $4. You can also take advantage of other pre-sale offers before August 7, including a five-day Fair pass with unlimited entry for $30; an event parking pass for $25; a carnival ride bracelet, good for unlimited rides for any one day, for $23; or a carnival ride booklet of 30 coupons for $20.

Arena event tickets are also on sale now! We’ve got The Battle of the Bands (presented by The Center for the Arts) on Wednesday night, a Rodeo on Thursday night and Bull Riding on Friday night (both presented by Nevada County Pro Rodeo Association), Tough Trucks and Monster Trucks (produced by All Star Motorsports Productions) on Saturday, and a Demolition Derby (produced by Holland Racing Promotions) on Sunday.

There are several ways to get your Fair tickets early. Purchase them on-line at NevadaCountyFair.com, call the Fair Office at (530) 273-6217 by August 6 at 5 pm, or visit the Fair Office on McCourtney Road before August 7 at 5 pm. The Fair Office is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, and will also be open on Saturday, August 4, from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday, August 5, from 9 am to 3 pm.

After August 7, admission for the Fair is $9 for adults, $6 for seniors, $4 for children
6-12, and free to children under the age of 5.

This year’s Nevada County Fair is August 8 – 12. The Fair’s Office is located on McCourtney Road in Grass Valley. The phone number is (530) 273-6217 and the website is NevadaCountyFair.com.

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

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nevada county fair

New Striping on McCourtney Road, in Front of Nevada County Fairgrounds

July 26, 2012 jd

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New striping creates safer access to businesses and more efficient traffic flow during Fair

This weekend, the County of Nevada completed restriping on McCourtney Road, in front of the Nevada County Fairgrounds, from Brighton Street to Auburn Road. The new striping includes a center two-way left turn lane, through lanes in each direction, and shoulder/bicycle lanes on each side of the road.

This striping is intended to provide safer access to properties across from the Fairgrounds as well as improve the ability to move traffic more efficiently during peak events like the annual Nevada County Fair.

During the Nevada County Fair, and other events at the Fairgrounds that draw large crowds, Fair personnel will use cones to turn the center lane into another lane for inbound traffic throughout an event.

The Nevada County Fairgrounds are located at 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley. This year’s Nevada County Fair is August 8 – 12. For information about upcoming events, visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com or call (530) 273-6217.

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email <a href=”mailto:jodell@nevadacounty.com”>jodell@nevadacounty.com</a>

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Butch Butler, Art and Ann Grosse to be Inducted in Nevada County Fair’s Hall of Fame

July 25, 2012 jd

Art & Ann Grosse Photo credit: Shaffers Originals

By Wendy Oakes

Butch Butler, along with Art and Ann Grosse, have been named to the Nevada County Fair’s Hall of Fame. The Fair’s Board of Directors recognized the individuals for their long-time support and dedication to the Nevada County Fair.

Butch Butler Photo credit: Butler family

Butch Butler, CEO and President of Butler Amusement, helped start Butler Amusement in 1970 with his parents. At the time of his death in December 2011, he was the company’s CEO and President, and had contracted with more than 100 festivals and fairs, including the Nevada County Fair. During his lifetime, Butch made significant improvements to carnival ride safety and game legislation in California. He was a member of the Western Fairs Association’s Hall of Fame, and past president of Showmen’s League of America & Showfolks of America, and the Pacific Coast Showmen’s Association.

In nominating Butch, the Fair Board recognized Butler Amusements’ great partnership with the Nevada County Fair. They applauded Butch for his leadership in the fair industry; his mentoring; and his generosity, as evidenced by his contributions to the Junior Livestock Auction as well as his capital investment contributions.

“Butch has always been a great friend to the Nevada County Fair,” said Sandy Woods, CEO of the Nevada County Fair. “He will be missed within the Fair industry, and especially by the Nevada County Fair team. We are honored to be able to recognize him in this manner.”

Jill Moyer, Butch’s daughter, explains her father’s love for the Nevada County Fair. “My father loved the Nevada County Fair – especially the trees at the Fairgrounds, and the challenge of placing the correct ride into the center of a group of trees, as if it was also grown there. He also valued his relationships at the Fair – the partnerships with Sandy Woods and Ed Scofield were more of a friendship than a business relationship, and he loved and respected both Sandy and Ed. Our family is honored that our father has been chosen for the Hall of Fame. He would have taken great pride in this honor.”

Butch is the father of five children, and had 10 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

Ann and Art Grosse are being recognized for the their time and commitment to the Nevada County Fairgrounds, particularly during the annual Country Christmas Faire held each November, where they have served as Santa and Mrs. Claus for the past 26 years.

“We’ve been doing this for so long, we now see the children of the children who used to visit us when we first started,” laughs Art. When asked what made them return each year, Art says without hesitation – the children! “We’ve love the children – listening to them and their requests each year. More often than not, children would ask for something for their parents or siblings or friends, instead of something for themselves. It’s quite heart-warming.”

The Grosses live in Rough and Ready, and are both active with the Rough and Ready Chamber of Commerce, where Ann is a member and Art is on the Board of Directors. Art also serves as Chairman of the Board for the Rough and Ready Volunteer Fire District. They have been married for 51 years, and have three children, five grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren. Art proudly reports that all of their grandchildren, with the exception of their seven-week-old great grandchild, have sat on their laps as Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Christmas Faire.

“Art and Ann have unselfishly dedicated 26 years to bringing the joy and magic of Christmas to thousands of boys and girls,” said Sandy Woods. “They have been great examples of the importance of inspiring a child’s hopes and dreams, particularly during the magical Christmas season.”

Butler and the Grosses will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame at opening day ceremonies on Wednesday, August 8. Butch’s daughter, Jill, will accept the award on behalf of her father.

The 2012 Nevada County Fair is August 8 – 12. For more information, visit Nevada County Fair.com or call (530) 273-6217.

Wendy Oaks
Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds
(530) 273-6217
wsoaks@gmail.com

Website: www.NevadaCountyFair.com
Facebook: Nevada County Fairgrounds

Nevada County Fair August 8 – 12, 2012

Draft Horse Classic September 20 – 23, 2012

Halloween at the Fairgrounds October 27, 2012

Country Christmas Faire November 23 – 25, 2012

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

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nevada county fair

Nevada County Fair – Still Time to Enter Exhibits

July 24, 2012 jd

The deadline to turn in entry forms to enter a still exhibit in the Nevada County Fair has been extended – so there’s more time to enter an exhibit or two in the Nevada County Fair. The deadline for submitting paper entry forms or to enter on-line using the Fair’s on-line entry system is Friday, July 27 at 4 pm. There are no entry fees for most categories (that’s right – it’s FREE), so simply visit the Fair Office on McCourtney Road or log-on to the Fair’s website at Nevada County Fair to complete the entry process.

This deadline extension is for still exhibits only, as livestock exhibit entries are closing on July 20.

Complete descriptions of all categories are available in the Fair’s Competition Handbook, which is available on the Fair’s website at www.NevadaCountyFair.com, at the Fair office, area libraries, and local chamber of commerce offices.

The 2012 Fair is August 8 – 12. For more information, call (530) 273-6217 or visit Nevada County Fair

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

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nevada county fair

Nevada County Fairgrounds & BloodSource Team up for Community Blood Drive

July 19, 2012 jd

The magnificent six-up competition is always a crowd favorite at the Draft Horse Classic and Harvest Fair at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley.

By Wendy Oaks

Donate blood on July 30 and receive a free admission ticket to the Fair

The Nevada County Fairgrounds and BloodSource are teaming up for a community blood drive. Make a blood donation on Monday, July 30, from 1 – 6 pm at one of the BloodSource bloodmobiles located in the main parking lot at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, and receive a free admission ticket to any day of the Fair.

As a result of this partnership, at last year’s community blood drive, 78 pints of life saving blood were collected.

Donating blood is safe, easy and takes about an hour. Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds, be generally healthy, and at least 17 years old. If you are 16 years old, you can donate blood, as long as you have a parent consent. For more information and eligibility about blood donation, visit BloodSource.org or call 1-866-822-5663.

This year’s Fair is August 8 – 12. Visit NevadaCountyFair.com for more information or call the Fair Office at (530) 273-6217. The Nevada County Fairgrounds are located on McCourtney Road in Grass Valley.

Wendy Oaks
Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds
(530) 273-6217

wsoaks@gmail.com

Facebook: Nevada County Fairgrounds

Nevada County Fair August 8 – 12, 2012

Draft Horse Classic September 20 – 23, 2012

Halloween at the Fairgrounds October 27, 2012

Country Christmas Faire November 23 – 25, 2012

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE#00669941

Community Events, Entertainment, History

Museums in Auburn : Barnhart Museum, and Gold Country Museum – Mining

July 16, 2012 jd

museum-sign

Image 1 of 11

By Judy J. Pinegar

Arriving in Auburn on a hot Sunday in July, John and I decided to tour a couple of museums. First was the historic Bernhard Museum just off Auburn Folsom Boulevard near the fairgrounds. The house is over 150 years old, built in 1851 by George Bishop and John Long as the Traveler’s Rest Hotel, one of Auburn’s oldest surviving buildings.

In the Gold Rush, this hotel held teamsters traveling the old Auburn Folsom Road, and miners working in nearby Rich Flat. In 1858 the building was converted to a home for one of the builders, George Bishop. The house and 30 acres were sold in 1864 to Eliza Caruthers, and again in 1868 to the Bernhard family. This family and their descendants lived here for over 100 years. They started planting vineyards, making wine and then built a two story natural rock winery into a hillside in 1874.

Now with only 2+ acres left, the house has become a beautifully restored museum of the Victorian Era (mid 1830’s to 1900). No pictures are allowed inside the museum, but it is truly a sight to see. Also on the grounds is an old wine processing building, displaying wine making and barrel making artifacts, as well as a barn with a hearse, a sleigh, buggies and wagons of days gone by.

The top of the stone winery is now an art gallery, while the bottom still houses and operating winery, Bonitata (more on this later).

Next we visited the Gold Country Museum, housed in a historic Works Progress Administration (WPA) building, on the Auburn fairgrounds itself. We began by touring a replicated hard rock mine (thanking our lucky stars that we didn’t have to do that job!) Many other mining displays are also on display, as well as a model stamp mill, and an assayer’s office, a miner’s cabin and an old saloon.

After this tour we went back to the Barnhart Museum Parking lot, but walked down to the winery to do a little wine tasting in the Bonitata Boutique Winery (see last picture in the slides).

Judy J. Pinegar is a writer and winemaker, and her articles appear in many publications.

Home Winemaker’s Dream Home for Sale

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

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nevada county fair

Still Time to Enter Your Exhibits in the Nevada County Fair

July 13, 2012 jd

July 13, 2012

Want to enter something in the Nevada County Fair? There’s still time! The deadline for submitting paper entry forms or to enter on-line using the Fair’s on-line entry system is July 20 at 4 pm. There are no entry fees for most categories, so simply visit the Fair Office on McCourtney Road or log-on to the Fair’s website atthe Nevada county Fair website to complete the entry process.

Join the thousands of Nevada County residents who enter exhibits each year in the more than 300 available categories. If you can make it, bake it, grow it or show it, we have a category for you! Don’t delay – enter now!

Complete descriptions of all categories are available in the Fair’s Competition Handbook, which is available on the Fair’s website at the Nevada County Fair website, at the Fair office, area libraries, and local chamber of commerce offices.

The 2012 Fair is August 8 – 12. For more information, call (530) 273-6217 or visit the Nevada County Fair website

For all your real estate needs
Email or call today:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE#00669941

Nevada County Fair Competition Handbook Now Available

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