{"id":139656,"date":"2026-07-18T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/2026-montezuma-county-fair-set-to-begin-next-weekend-horse-show-kicks-off-this-saturday\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T05:04:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T11:04:29","slug":"2026-montezuma-county-fair-set-to-begin-next-weekend-horse-show-kicks-off-this-saturday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/2026-montezuma-county-fair-set-to-begin-next-weekend-horse-show-kicks-off-this-saturday\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Montezuma County Fair set to begin next weekend, horse show kicks off this Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=1e440596-d40c-5ce8-a251-fd15176fb8d3&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=1e440596-d40c-5ce8-a251-fd15176fb8d3&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=800 800w, https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=1e440596-d40c-5ce8-a251-fd15176fb8d3&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=1200 1200w, https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=1e440596-d40c-5ce8-a251-fd15176fb8d3&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=1800 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 2000px\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1152\" alt=\"The 2026 Montezuma County Fair will start July 25 and run through Aug. 1, with the archery shoot and horse show starting Saturday. (Erika Alvero\/Special to The Journal)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">The 2026 Montezuma County Fair will start July 25 and run through Aug. 1, with the archery shoot and horse show starting Saturday. (Erika Alvero\/Special to The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Montezuma County 4-H is gearing up for one of its biggest weeks of the year with the start of the 2026 Montezuma County Fair, which officially starts July 25 and also has two contests slated for Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>The fair will be held at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds at 30100 U.S. Highway 160 in Cortez.<\/p>\n<p>The fair once again brings young showmen together to display their crafts, spolight their projects and show and sell the animals they\u2019ve laboriously cared for.<\/p>\n<p>Open class shows will allow community members who aren\u2019t in 4-H or Future Farmers of America the opportunity to compete, and family-friendly events will abound.<\/p>\n<div class=\"naviga-pdf-embed\"><iframe class=\"article-pdf\" src=\"https:\/\/dur-prod-public-pdfs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/SsWsL49IR9ymnEExpTajAXeCgfM.pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:500px;border:1px solid #ddd;\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dur-prod-public-pdfs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/SsWsL49IR9ymnEExpTajAXeCgfM.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2026 Montezuma County Fair Schedule (Download PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p><\/iframe>\n<p class=\"naviga-pdf-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dur-prod-public-pdfs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/SsWsL49IR9ymnEExpTajAXeCgfM.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2026 Montezuma County Fair Schedule<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The week will culminate on Aug. 1 with the Master Showman competition at 11 a.m., Junior Livestock Sale at 5 p.m. and the 4-H dance from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>In the Master Showman contest, the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion from the youth animal competitions (sheep, goats, horses, beef, fowl, swine and rabbits) will prove their skills by showing each animal, starting with the animal they won their category with. The most accomplished showman will be named Master Showman. Last year\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-journal.com\/articles\/taylor-garner-named-master-showman-at-last-day-of-the-montezuma-county-fair\/\" id=\"link-ed7b62676b9bb998dcb85141fdedc628\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Master<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-journal.com\/articles\/taylor-garner-named-master-showman-at-last-day-of-the-montezuma-county-fair\/\" id=\"link-96519fe76aa2baeb8b711deb2c3edd39\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Showman<\/a> was Taylor Garner.<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image naviga-align-left alignleft naviga-size-medium\" data-naviga-align=\"left\" data-naviga-size=\"medium\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=7fcc9123-eaf3-5a29-85e1-52a6b6193f98&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=7fcc9123-eaf3-5a29-85e1-52a6b6193f98&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=800 800w, https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=7fcc9123-eaf3-5a29-85e1-52a6b6193f98&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=1200 1200w, https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=7fcc9123-eaf3-5a29-85e1-52a6b6193f98&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=1800 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 2000px\" width=\"1248\" height=\"866\" alt=\"Taylor Garner was named the 2025 Master Showman at the Montezuma County Fair. (Erika Alvero\/Special to The Journal)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Taylor Garner was named the 2025 Master Showman at the Montezuma County Fair. (Erika Alvero\/Special to The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Tierney Wilson, Montezuma CSU 4-H youth development extension agent, said there are currently 234 members in Montezuma County 4-H, and market beef is the program with the most members.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe fair is more than a competition, it\u2019s a celebration of a year\u2019s worth of learning, growth and hard work,\u201d Wilson told <em id=\"emphasis-76ef5996c0d36ec3f456aa0e88a5f4d1\">The<\/em> <em id=\"emphasis-3d0b8c4bde614f3595b3c08282dba3d8\">Journal<\/em>. \u201cMy favorite part is watching our 4-H members gain confidence, cheer each other on and proudly share what they\u2019ve accomplished with our community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For 4-H members, the fair is a way to connect with others, learn leadership and guide new members. Nine-year 4-H member Brynley Nichols said the fair has been part of her life every year and is a highlight of the summer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love connecting with friends, showing animals and being able to show off the work that I did during the year to our county,\u201d Nichols said.<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image naviga-align-left alignleft naviga-size-medium\" data-naviga-align=\"left\" data-naviga-size=\"medium\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=d2537ea3-5fea-5c69-8f5a-a3355a992a2c&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=d2537ea3-5fea-5c69-8f5a-a3355a992a2c&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=800 800w, https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=d2537ea3-5fea-5c69-8f5a-a3355a992a2c&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=1200 1200w, https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=d2537ea3-5fea-5c69-8f5a-a3355a992a2c&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=1800 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 2000px\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" alt=\"The sheep show at the 2025 Montezuma County Fair in Cortez. (Bailey Duran\/Special to The Journal)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">The sheep show at the 2025 Montezuma County Fair in Cortez. (Bailey Duran\/Special to The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><div class=\"naviga-element naviga-subheadline1\">Events<\/div>\n<p>Along with watching the 4-H competitions, there are plenty of opportunities for the community to get involved. Registration for open class contests like fowl, pie, salsa and more will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. July 26 and 8 to 10 a.m. July 27.<\/p>\n<p>Other community and family events include IFA Fun Events, Four Corners Community Bank Money Hunt, 360 Sprint Car Races, goat roping, color run, duck hunt, Ranch Rodeo, Peewee showmanship, roping, watermelon eating contest, Family Night, Junior Livestock Sale and more.<\/p>\n<p><!-- gallery:bb312afe-d2d5-493e-8b30-e4e338940be5 --><\/p>\n<p>Ranch Rodeo entries will be taken at 6 p.m. July 30 and the rodeo will begin at 7 p.m. Team roping entries will be held at 6 p.m. July 31 with a start time of 7 p.m. Family Night will also begin at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>The highly anticipated First National Greased Pig Chase, where children keep the pig they catch, will take place on Aug. 1 at 9:30 a.m. The buyer meet and greet prior to the livestock sale is later that day from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image naviga-align-left alignleft naviga-size-medium\" data-naviga-align=\"left\" data-naviga-size=\"medium\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=9b87d3a8-b78d-5c6a-b240-d651c09bf01d&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=9b87d3a8-b78d-5c6a-b240-d651c09bf01d&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=800 800w, https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=9b87d3a8-b78d-5c6a-b240-d651c09bf01d&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=1200 1200w, https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=9b87d3a8-b78d-5c6a-b240-d651c09bf01d&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=1800 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 2000px\" alt=\"The county fair\u2019s Ranch Rodeo will be held on Thursday, July 30. Registration begins at 6 p.m. and the event will begin at 7 p.m. (Jerry McBride\/ Durango Herald)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">The county fair\u2019s Ranch Rodeo will be held on Thursday, July 30. Registration begins at 6 p.m. and the event will begin at 7 p.m. (Jerry McBride\/ Durango Herald)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>The Rocket Launch has been postponed to the fall due to current weather conditions. Wilson said a new date will be announced once it is scheduled.<\/p>\n<p>Wilson said he always reminds people the Montezuma County Fair isn\u2019t about one project area. It encompasses many events: exhibits, interviews, demonstrations, fashion revue, performing arts, cake decorating, community open class, and other projects.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery member has dedicated time and effort to learning something new, and I believe every one of those accomplishments deserves to be recognized and celebrated by our community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Participating youth also learn skills that can be used in life as they grow.<\/p>\n<p>Tanna Young, another nine-year 4-H member, said she participates in the fair every year because it teaches responsibility and communication skills.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can share my love for my animals with others and it will benefit me in the future,\u201d Young said. \u201c\u2026 All year long, you get to work hard with an animal and build a connection and by the end of the year, you get to show off all of your hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Wilson encouraged families who have been thinking about joining the program to stop by the fair to learn more and see what their child may be interested in.<\/p>\n<p>The annual Tour de 4-H and FFA will also be held on Oct. 10 at IFA. At this event, members of the community can learn more about 4-H.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis event is a great way to meet leaders and members, explore the different project areas available and discover how 4-H can help young people grow through hands-on learning, leadership and community involvement,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n<p><em id=\"emphasis-99de939a30ba729e3f916467fef18843\"><a href=\"mailto:bduran@the-journal.com\">bduran@the-journal.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The fair will run for a week, ending with the livestock show and dance<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":139657,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5736,5735],"tags":[947,281,21,1820,155,1051,28,60,29,6419],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-139656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-news","tag-4-h","tag-agriculture","tag-cortez","tag-dh-trueanthem","tag-education","tag-future-farmers-of-america-ffa","tag-headlines","tag-montezuma-county","tag-newsletter","tag-tj-trueanthem"],"acf":[],"author_name":"Website Administrator","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139656"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139656\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":139658,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139656\/revisions\/139658"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139656"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=139656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}