Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-09-10
Especially Reported for the Daily Pross.)
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The Twenty-Fifth Annual Fair of the
Bourbon County Agricultural Society, took
place to-day. The weather was rainy, and
the attendance on the first day was slim.
Kentucky Fairs, as is well known to all
who have ever attended one, are carniyals.
Elsewhere, fairs are regarded chiefly in a
unitarian aspect, but the Kentuckians
know well how to combine pleasure with
profit and at their annual exhibitions they
seek to bring together all the fine cattle,
blooded horses and pretty girls in the
county, and then with their wives, children,
servants and provisions, betake themselves
thither, pitch their tents within the in
closure, and hold grand social picnic
during the three or four days through which
the Fair continues.
II will readily be imagined then, that
stormy opening day, which keeps some of
the fine stock and most of the pretty girls at
home, and materially interferes with picnic
ing arrangements, is regarded as a great mis-
fortune. In spite of the weather, the show
of cattle, matched carriage horses, sheep and
swine, which occupied the ring on the first
day, was very good that ofsheep especially,
being the largest ever seen here. Among
those who received the principal premiums
for cattle, we noticed the familiar names of
B. J. Clay, G. M. Bedford, Jere Duncan and
Jno. Cunningham, who seemed, as usual, to
divide most of the premiums between them,
while A. @. Shropshire took several premiums
on sheep, and E. G.. Bedford a majority of
those for swine.
The exhibition of fat cattle on the second
day was fine, and included some elephantine
creatures whose corpulent proportions would
have excited the envy Of our beef-loving
cousins across the water, had any of them
been there to see them. The rings of
horses for harness, also, showed some splen-
did animals, and some of the mules surpassed
any thing of the kind we had ever seen.
The third day is considered the grand fes-
tai day of the Fair; and in spite of lowering
skies, which finally fulfilled their promise
with smart showers, the gallant Parisians
refused to be baked of their expected pleas
ure, and, donning their holiday attire, came
in crowds to see and be seen. Nor was the
throng composed of citizens alone; hundreds
of strangers attracted by the ancient repu-
tation of Old Bourbon, filled the hotels, and
many were accommodated at private houses
The proverbial hospitality of Kentucky
was fully vindicated, and many besides our
reporter, who have heretofore Judged of her
people from hear-say alone, will, undoubt-
edly, have carried with them from this Fair
pleasant memories that will not soon fade.
The amphitheater to-day presented brill
liant scene. Imagine large circular build
ing capable ofholding 5000 people, and filled
to its utmost capacity with beautiful women,
and their well-dressed escorts, surrounding
a turf-ring some 200 feet in diameter in
which eight or ten skillful riders or drivers
were displaying their fine steeds to the best
advantage, while band of music discoursed
sweet sounds from their stand in the center,
and if your imagination be sufficiently brill
iant you will get fair idea of the Bourbon
County horse-ring, on the great day of the
Fair. This day was devoted chiefly to horses
and strong competition was exhibited.
Often the judges were compelled to hesitate
between two or three animals of apparently
equal merit, and when the decision was
finally rendered, it was received with cheers
by the friends of the successful ones, while
the disappointed candidates accepted their
defeat gracefully, though the disappointment
was evidently severe. Indeed, throughout
the entire day, in spite of the keen rivalry
and the deep interest which was evidently
felt in the result of the different contests,
the utmost good feeling prevailed, and not a
single incident occurred, if we except the
weather, to mar the satisfaction Of the
whole. The entire exhibition was success
and will, we trust, remain bright spot In
the memories of all concerned, until dis.
placed by other and brighter scenes.