Outside the La Plata County Fair on Thursday, children walked around in cowboy boots, rejoicing about their victories in the ring while people with Gideons International handed out free New Testaments and vendors sold kettle corn and turquoise jewelry.

Inside the La Plata County Fairgrounds, however, the scene was more somber.

There, a small crowd gathered to watch Emily Wegener, a pharmacist from Bloomfield, and Stella Taylor, a retiree from Farmington, judge pickled goods, including dill pickles, sour pickles, mustard pickles, sliced pickles, beet pickles, sweet pickles, two exciting pickle categories simply labeled “other” and best in show.

“Good isn’t good enough for a champion. They have to be excellent,” Wegener said.

While both Wegener and Taylor said no one had attempted to bribe them or lobby them, the competition was stiff, and it turns out that judging pickled goods is no simple matter.

“There’s a lot of paperwork,” Wegener said, as she filled one entry’s score sheet, checking the box that assured the pickles were “free of excessive sediment or foreign particles.”

Judy Dossey, superintendent of food preservation, said they were inundated with salsa entries last year.

“This year, it’s pickles,” she said.

When, an hour in, the judges were assessing various jars of pickled green beans, Taylor sighed when scrutinizing one otherwise attractive entry.

“The beans aren’t uniform in size. Too bad,” she said.

Wegener agreed, noting one stray bean was “floating on the top – that really ruins the height,” she said.

She became dismayed on looking at a second jar of pickled green beans, noting the pickler had “cut the stems off some of the green beans but kept the stems on others. Why would you do that?” she asked.

The judges gave it third place.

When it came to best in show, the judges quickly eliminated two debated pickle jars.

“This one really pops,” said Wegener, describing a jar full of neat, thinly sliced dill pickles in a short jar.

Taylor agreed.

It was the end of a long morning.

“I need a bathroom break before we do jams and jellies,” she said.

cmcallister@durangoherald.com

La Plata County Fair

The La Plata County Fair will take place at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave. For more information, visit http://co.laplata.co.us/departments_officials/general_services/fairgrounds/county_fair. The carnival will be open through Sunday. A beer garden also will be open from Thursday to Sunday.

Saturday

Exhibits open to public, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Judging open class beef, all classes, 9 a.m.

4-H Dog Show, 9 a.m., grassy area west of Extension Building.

Rooster Crowing Contest, 10 a.m.

FFA showmanship, 10 a.m.

Horticulture demonstration: “Fairy Gardens,” 10 a.m.

Open class dairy cattle, all classes, 11 a.m.

Demolition Derby, noon. Gates will open at 10 a.m.

4-H Marketplace, 4-H youth products for sale, noon-5 p.m., Durango/La Plata Senior Center lawn.

Community 4-H Barbecue Cook-Off, noon-5 p.m., senior center Lawn.

Rabbit Costume Contest, 2 p.m.

Poultry Costume Contest, 2 p.m.

Silver Steaks Award Presentation, 5 p.m.

Fair Royalty crowning, 5:45 p.m.

Junior Livestock Sale, 6 p.m., pavilion.

Fair Family Dance, 9 p.m.-midnight, patio.

Sunday

Cowboy Church, 8:30 a.m., pavilion.

Exhibits open to the public, 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.

4-H/FFA Catch-it Contest, 1:30 p.m.