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Aug. 12, 2002
Fair enjoys increased attendanceBy CHANCE PRIGGE Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- The Brown County Fair celebrated Schell's Day on its last day of the 2002 event. Under the Beer Tent, the Bockfest Boys played their German-inspired music during the afternoon and into the evening. Fairgoers who attended Heritagefest may have had flashbacks because the band played several German-tradition drinking songs. Small chaos occasionally ensued when band members shouted "50-cent beers" while bartenders in the back of the tent held up signs saying the same. Those donning Schell's apparel were given 25-cent beers during other such announcements. Nearing 5 p.m., helping the bartenders was Brown County Agricultural Society President Renee Retzlaff. "The bartenders were telling me this is the biggest crowd we've had in the tent (during Schell's Day)," Retzlaff said. "Obviously there's a lot of respect for the brewery because the tent is full." But the Beer Tent wasn't the only place to see an increase in attendance. Attendance at the fair in general was up this year, Retzlaff said. Saturday's Demolition Derby was the highest attended yet, she said. "The demo derbies are always a huge draw," she said. "There's something about crashing cars that draws people from everywhere." The more people at the fair means the busier Retzlaff and her crew get. "We've been busy 24-7 for the last ... two weeks," she said. Citing things such as a lost kid or an overflowed toilet, Retzlaff said it's not the big events that keep them working. "It's the human things that keep us most busy," she said. While the fair hadn't ended Sunday, she and the 15 directors of the fair were already preparing for next year by reviewing things as they happened this year. "Each year we critique," she said. "We are our own watchdogs." But any changes made are not likely going to be major event changes because they still attract large enough crowds. "I think we just want to continue more (improvements) on the things we have," Retzlaff said. "There will be changes, but they will be subtle and well thought out." The fair's last main attraction at the grandstand on Sunday was the Antique Tractor and Out of Field Pull. Farmers from around southern Minnesota took their workhorse tractors off the fields and on to the dirt stretch. From atop their tractors, the drivers attempted to pull a weighted truck or trailer as far as they could. Tractors in the stock class competed in their normal conditions. Those in the open class were tuned up and tinkered with. The following are the results: 3,500 Stock First Place -- Rich Mathiowetz Second Place -- Bob Van Der Hagen Third Place -- Gene Friesen 3,500 Open First Place -- Steve Fischer Second Place -- Marlin Portner 4,500 Stock First Place -- Marlin Portner Second Place -- Rich Mathiowetz Third Place -- Bob Van Der Hagen 4,500 Open First Place -- Butch Vlasak Second Place -- Evie Olson Third Place -- Steve Fischer 5,500 Stock First Place -- Jason Windschitl Second Place -- Clay Blackstad Third Place -- Grant Romberg 5,500 Open First Place -- Mike Schons Second Place -- Bob Rynda Third Place -- Evie Olson 6,500 Stock First Place -- Rusty Hoffmann Second Place -- Dan Mielke Third Place -- Loren Hillmer 6,500 Open First Place -- Mike Schons Second Place -- Dick Olson Third Place -- Bob Rynda 7,500 Stock First Place -- Dan Petersen Second Place -- Grant Romberg Third Place -- Loren Hillmer 7,500 Open First Place -- Dick Olson Second Place -- John Ruch Third Place -- Rob Van Der Hagen 9,000 Stock First Place -- Dan Kloos Second Place -- Don Swensen Third Place -- Keith Hoffmann 12,500 First Place -- Steve Fischer Second Place -- Leon Portner Third Place -- Dean Karau 12,500 Open First Place -- Shannon Haberman Second Place -- Jason Lepp Third Place -- Royce Compart 16,500 Out of Field First Place -- Sam Schultz Second Place -- Dean Karau Third Place -- Kevin Michels 19,500 Out of Field First Place -- Jim Gliscinski Second Place -- Leslie Menssen Third Place -- Travis Havemeier 24,500 Out of Field First Place -- Pat Klinker Second Place -- Leslie Menssen Third Place -- Dan Seidl ˜ >¸HHH(infinity)@¿˜ ˜ 0Ĩ"urÄ@0>@@n>@xÄÏ"uvÄ@dê@Ù$¿¿¿¿¿¿êHHÿ(·‚(breve)FG(¸HHÿ(d'hê$ ½@DHLPTX\T@8Ä»XÑ(infinity)0Ä~•Ä~•ÛÄÛÄ$4 Ä~HHH(infinity)@¿0Ä~•ÛÄ$4 Ä~HHH(infinity)@¿0Ä~•ÛÄ$4 Ä~HHH(infinity)@¿0@Ä~•ÛÄ$4Ä~HHH(infinity)@¿PP$ PP$0 Ä~ Table Style tGeneva(breve)5÷!ÇThe following are the results: ˜3,500 Stock ˜ ˜First Place -- Rich Mathiowetz Second Place -- Bob Van Der Hagen Third Place -- Gene Friesen ˜3,500 Open ˜First Place -- Steve Fischer Second Place -- Marlin Portner ˜4,500 Stock ˜First Place -- Marlin Portner ˜Second Place -- Rich Mathiowetz Third Place -- Bob Van Der Hagen ˜4,500 Open ˜ First Place -- Butch Vlasak Second Place -- Evie Olson Third Place -- Steve Fischer ˜5,500 Stock ˜ First Place -- Jason Windschitl Second Place -- Clay Blackstad Third Place -- Grant Romberg ˜5,500 Open ˜ P(ogonek)!Âä First Place -- Mike Schons Second Place -- Bob Rynda Third Place -- Evie Olson ˜6,500 Stock ˜ First Place -- Rusty Hoffmann Second Place -- Dan Mielke Third Place -- Loren Hillmer ˜6,500 Open ˜ First Place -- Mike Schons Second Place -- Dick Olson Third Place -- Bob Rynda ˜7,500 Stock ˜ First Place -- Dan Petersen Second Place -- Grant Romberg Third Place -- Loren Hillmer ˜7,500 Open ˜ First Place -- Dick Olson Second Place -- John Ruch Third Place -- Rob Van Der Hagen ˜9,000 Stock ˜ First Place -- Dan Kloos Second Place -- Don Swensen Third Place -- Keith Hoffmann ˜12,500 ˜ First Place -- Steve Fischer Second Place -- Leon Portner Third Place -- Dean Karau ˜12,500 Open ˜ First Place -- Shannon Haberman Second Place -- Jason Lepp Third Place -- Royce Compart ˜16,500 Out of Field ˜ w]è"d\ First Place -- Sam Schultz Second Place -- Dean Karau Third Place -- Kevin Michels ˜19,500 Out of Field ˜First Place -- Jim Gliscinski Second Place -- Leslie Menssen Third Place -- Travis Havemeier ˜24,500 Out of Field ˜ First Place -- Pat Klinker Second Place -- Leslie Menssen Third Place -- Dan Seidl à£"!=Fair By CHANCE PRIGGE JOURNAL STAFF WRITER NEW ULM -- The Brown County Fair celebrated Schell's Day for the last day of the fair. Under the Beer Tent, the Bockfest Boys played their German-inspired music during the afternoon and into the evening. Fair goers who attended Heritagefest may have had flashbacks, as the band played several German-tradition drinking songs. Small chaos occasionally ensued when band members shouted "50-cent beers" while bartenders in the back of the tent held up signs saying the same. Those donning Schell's apparel were given 25-cent beers during other such announcements. Nearing 5 p.m., helping the bartenders was Brown County Fair President Renee Retzlaff. "The bartenders were telling me this is the biggest crowd we've had in the tent (during Schell's Day)," Retzlaff said. "Obviously there's a lot of respect for the brewery because the tent is full." ô®Ù"æHBut the Beer Tent wasn't the only place to see an increase in attendance. Attendance at the fair in general was up this year, Retzlaff said. Saturday's Demolition Derby was the highest attended yet, she said. "The demo derbies are always a huge draw," she said. "There's something about crashing cars that draws people from everywhere." The more people at the fair means the busier Retzlaff and her crew get. "We've been busy 24-7 for the last ... two weeks," she said. Citing things such as a lost kid or an overflowed toilet, Retzlaff said it's not the big events that keep them working. "It's the human things that keep us most busy," she said. ½´ç" bWhile the fair hadn't ended Sunday, she and the 15 directors of the fair were already preparing for next year by reviewing things as they happened this year. "Each year we critique," she said. "We are our own watchdogs." But any changes made are not likely going to be major event changes, as they still attract large enough crowds. "I think we just want to continue more (improvements) on the things we have," Retzlaff said. "There will be changes, but they will be subtle and well thought out." The fair's last main attraction at the grandstand was the Antique Tractor and Out of Field Pull. Farmers from around southern Minnesota took their workhorse tractors off the fields and on to the dirt stretch. From atop their tractors, the drivers attempted to pull a weighted truch or trailor as far as they could. Tractors in the stock class were raced in their normal conditions. Those in the open class were tuned up and tinkered with. pó¡#×Ä@ Ëà@@pôÝ@ ½`p(breve)`i` qwÍ1Ä@@¡p@¨0@п`Ïx@½@T`<4@$¿êàê`å•ç4íÐêºèL<ê¸Ä~•ÛÄ By CHANCE PRIGGE Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- The Brown County Fair celebrated Schell's Day for the last day of the fair. Under the Beer Tent, the Bockfest Boys played their German-inspired music during the afternoon and into the evening. Fair goers who attended Heritagefest may have had flashbacks, as the band played several German-tradition drinking songs. Small chaos occasionally ensued when band members shouted "50-cent beers" while bartenders in the back of the tent held up signs saying the same. Those donning Schell's apparel were given 25-cent beers during other such announcements. Nearing 5 p.m., helping the bartenders was Brown County Fair President Renee Retzlaff. "The bartenders were telling me this is the biggest crowd we've had in the tent (during Schell's Day)," Retzlaff said. "Obviously there's a lot of respect for the brewery because the tent is full." pù£#ÕÄ@à@@pôÝ@ ½`p(breve)`i` qwÍÄ@1@£p@¨0@п`Ïx@½@T`<4@$¿êàê`å•ç4íÐêºèL<ê¸Ä~•ÛÄ Officials immediately begin review of this year's fair |