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H@Wdy~~fui irnfrenon FROM PAGE 6 He has stoted up a lot of memories. As a young boy, he started out as a visiter te the fair. Then, as he g t more involved, he entered contesta. For many years he has been one of the principal organizers, including a post as président. ifo 1 help any way I can,» he says. qI go te the meetings; ifthey ask my advice, I giveé it; if not, I don't. But I'm there if they need me.» They do need Walter. This year he bas been asked te officially open the fair. Hie is honored. Aman o ffew words, lie says bis speech will be short. He may or may not talk abou what drew him te tfhe fair when he was a kid, when the fair lasted one day instead of four. "I liked the cattie and the horses, and tihey always had a football game at the end of the day. "In 1925, I entered the junior farmer .judging competition. Today it's open te bys and girls. Then, it w as mostly boys.' Junior farmers examined livest<>ck such as dairy cattle, beef, pige, sheep and horses, and judged them. Thie contestants' evaluations of the animals would then be 1udged officially te, determine how the contestants would How did Walter do that first year? "Not too good." But he improved every year. He eventually ended up with bis own farim which he managed for many vears until bis retire- ment. Hie still keeps bis hand in farnung. . Re's probably worked on every comnittee you can think of and somne you can't. He was president of the fair from 1960 te, 1962. "In 1967 I took over as secretary-treasurer for the next 13 yars. V've worked with eight différent presidents." Walter says there have been a lot of «comirigs and, goings» as far as fair events go, and that they've always tried to "change with the- times. «When the fairs started. we had a field day. There were races for the kids. We don't have that anymore. "We have more light horse classes now and a good show of riding and saddle classes. We have the largest sheep show other than class- A shows. People enter from Barrie, London, East Peterborough and Lindsay. "We have a horse-drawing competition where horses draw a loaded sled filled niostly with cernent bars. Each team (of two horses) bas a chance te draw it 20 feet.» He points out that the Brooklin Fair is the earliest of the spring fairs. This year's wiIl be held May 31, June 1, 2 and «It bas a large midway and a Bavarian tent. (Ail) entries are for both men and women. The tracter pull attracts more spectators. TIhis year there's a deniolition derby and dog races.» «Personaly I like the cattle shows,» says Walter. «I've farmed for 35 years till I sold my farm in '66. I stili have some cattie ever year.» Another thighe still bas is a 1924 fair prograin. It shows that admission was a quarter for aduits, a dime for children. Today admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children, and parking is $2. He says the fair la a "great commnunity project,» but adds it's a lot of work. "It's most of the year for some people, and it's ail over in three or four days.» But even after 79 years, there's no doubt ini Walter's mind thùt it's worth it.