Lochte is Good, But Can He Handle the Rural Olympics?

I am talking about the crowning event of the Antelope Valley Fair.

The event that challenges farmhands and machinery alike.

All arrive as boys, only success determines who will leave as men.

If you couldn't have guessed by that riveting opening paragraph, this past Saturday my local fair hosted its very own Rural Olympics.

As its name suggests, it is the ultimate test of skill over all things farm related.  

This was my first year witnessing the event and I am completely comfortable saying that it was everything I could have possibly hoped for and slightly moreso.

There were events like tractor racing, hay stacking and, one of my personal favorites, potatoe spearing.

In that last one, someone hangs outside the window of a car and uses a spear to pick potatoes up off the ground all while racing another car to the finish line.

How could you not love seeing that?

There was also some classic Tug of War between the local high school wrestling teams,

which is really just good, clean fun.

Finally, another one of my favorite events was Hay Stealing.

The name is actually quite self-explanatory.

Teams of two tried to be the first team to load bales of hay (all of which weigh 100lbs. each) into the beds of their pickup trucks and drive away, essentially "stealing the hay".

It was actually fiercely competitive.

I think my team came in third.

(Taylor and I were betting the whole time, of course)

Now, I won't sugarcoat it, the Rural Olympics are not everyone's cup of tea.

But, who has two thumbs and had a fabulous time?

This girl!

Like I said, it's all really just good, clean fun.

I'm definitely looking forward to going again. 

Ubeknowest to her, I even have hopes of training Taylor for next year's World's Strongest Farmhand competition.

We totally got this!

Good luck on this most lovely of Mondays.

I hope you all have a fabulous day.

I gotta go find a whistle for my new trainer duties.

Love to all!

xoxoxo