People ride the giant “YOYO” swing on Wednesday during the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.
SEDALIA — The Missouri State Fair brings thousands of people to central Missouri each year.
The state showcase, held roughly 90 miles southeast of Kansas City, is known for its food, fun and other festivities — including the Governor's Ham Breakfast and livestock showcases.
Jayson Peterson, a 14-year-old from Cassville, was one of the livestock contestants this year. He has been showing miniature cattle for six years.
“My favorite part of the state fair is showing my Miniature Herefords,” he said. “I feel like the benefits of showing cattle are: You get to learn how to talk to people and go out of your way; you get to learn some business skills, and you get to learn some work ethic.”
Sue Melville, of Sedalia, said the fair is a pivotal part of the community and is one of the largest economic engines for the city of roughly 22,000.
“A few years ago they handed out $2 bills to all of the people that were running the fair to spend in the town,” she said. “We were absolutely surprised at how much money is spent in town at restaurants and hotels.”
David Buxton yells while riding “The Spider” carnival ride on Wednesday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. Buxton and his girlfriend, Stephanie Arney, live in Sedalia and came to spend the evening at the fair. When they stepped off the ride and were asked what they thought of the experience, the couple replied, in unison: “It was awesome.”
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Bradlee Drenon, 3, tosses a ring toward a table full of bottles while her sister Baker Drenon, 2, reaches into a bucket to grab her own ring, while being held by the girls’ mother, Morgan Drenon, on Thursday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Daniel Pearson tosses a basketball over his head and toward a basketball hoop on Wednesday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. This is Pearson’s fifth year working games at fairs and carnivals.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Stuffed toys hang on display on Wednesday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
David Dick, president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, gathers his breakfast during the Governor’s Ham Breakfast on Thursday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. Elected president in January, Dick has been a member of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association for 41 years.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Clockwise from left: Korbin McGinnis, 7; Paislee Choate, 8; Pace Ledbetter, 7, and Zane Ledbetter eat plates of carved ham during the Governor’s Ham Breakfast on Thursday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Lucas Kunce, a candidate for U.S. Senate looking to receive Missouri's Democratic nomination, fist bumps attendees at the Governor's Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair on Thursday in Sedalia.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, and his wife, Erin Morrow Hawley, help their daughter Abigail with a sticker before a press gaggle on Thursday at the Governor's Ham Breakfast in Sedalia.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Jayson Peterson, 14, attempts to pull a stubborn calf, Copper Thunder, toward the show arena on Thursday in Sedalia. It is Jayson's sixth year showing cows.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
A miniature Hereford cow, one of many show cows owned by Jayson Pearson, 14, during a competition on Thursday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. Miniature Herefords tend to weigh around 1,000 pounds and are around the same size as the original Hereford cow, before that species was bred to be larger.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Lindlee Witherow, 7, strokes the fur of her Hereford cow Lainey on Thursday in Sedalia. This was Lindlee’s first time ever showing a cow, and she took home the prize of Reserve Grand Champion-Heifer Miniature Hereford. “I like taking care of them,” she said of working with the cows.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Emmrie Greenwood, 6, carries a giant stuffed lion she won while leaving the fair with her family on Wednesday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Ielis Hernandez, left, and Daniel Gomez work a lemonade and food stand on Wednesday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
From left: Cadence Keeney, 16; Beatrix Keeney, 10, and Hazel Keeney, 7, pose for a selfie on Wednesday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. “We’re really goofy and weird,” Cadence said. “Us three sisters like to goof off.”
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
The sun sets on the Missouri State Fair's Ferris wheel in Sedalia.
