Every year, the Missouri State Fair brings families, farmers, and competitors from across the state to the fairgrounds in Sedalia, but many of these visitors are from all over the country, or even around the world. The fair becomes a sort of reunion for folks from a wide range of backgrounds.
In this audio postcard, KBIA reporter Sabrina Pan spoke to Ranae Poole, a draft horse pool competitor, Susie Phillips, an announcer, and Harry Cabillas, a game booth attendant, about the communities they found within the fair that extend beyond borders.
Ranae Poole: My name is Ranae Poole, and we came to participate in the draft horse pull. My dad started about 45 years ago, and so I grew up in it, and it was always a family event.
The brick buildings, they've been here ever since I can remember, and it takes a lot of time and effort and everything. Whether you have the draft horses or show cattle or show pigs, it's all a very long process and lots of early mornings and late nights.
Most of us are from Missouri because it's our state fair, but there's several from out of state, and it's kind of funny to say your closest friends live states away, but they do. It's a good, special community to be a part of.
Susie Phillips: Susie Phillips, and I am the announcer and scorekeeper for the draft horse sled pull competition.
They had table upon table, bingo tables. They had a dance floor set up. They had a music stage, and they entertained people in here all afternoon. Somebody set all of that up, and then tore it all down so we could come in with our horse pull.
It's so much organization, and it just shows that people can work together and provide worthwhile entertainment, and people appreciate it.
Harry Cabillas: My name's Harry Cabillas. I do the basketball game here. This is my third year. I'm part of the Visa H-2B program. I'm from Honduras. The opportunity came when I was 24 years old.
It's tiring, to be honest. The only day off that we have it when we jump to another city. In this fair in specific, we work from 10 a.m. to probably 1 a.m. during weekends.
I think that much people don't think about it, but when we ever tear down the games, we end up like 4 a.m., maybe. Other than that, it's a good job, you know. We cannot complain.
I like the people, and whenever I come back to cities next year, people know me. I don't remember each faces, but it's good to know that you always leave a mark on people.
