Last modified: Friday, July 25, 2008 10:02 AM PDT Washington County Fair slated to begin Monday Johna Strickland Argus Observer Cambridge Looking for some free recreation? Check out the Washington County Fair next week. “We’re still free and we want to keep it that way,” Michelle Tate, the 4-H coordinator in the Washington County extension office, said of admission prices. Free of charge, fairgoers can attend three rodeos at 8 p.m. July 31, Aug. 1 and Aug. 2, a freestyle reining show at 6:30 p.m. Monday and a plethora of livestock and small animal shows. “It’s just a hometown, country fair and we like it that way,” Fair board member Julie Chandler said. The fair begins with a horse show at 8:30 a.m. Monday and continues that evening with freestyle reining at 6:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds on U.S. Highway 95 in Cambridge. “The kids pick songs and then they do a reining pattern to the song,” Tate said, adding some participants costume themselves and their horses. Tuesday is weigh-in day for 4-H and FFA animals. Tate said they expect more than 250 animals — 109 pigs, about 60 sheep, five market goats, four llamas, 19 dairy goats, about 50 beef cattle, 15 dogs, two turkens, four pygmy goats, two ducks, four chickens and one cat. Wednesday starts out with a swine show at 8 a.m., the meat and dairy goat show at 2 p.m. and the 4-H fashion revue at 7:30 p.m. Thursday offers a sheep show at 8 a.m., then at 9 a.m. for the first time in Washington County history, there will be a llama show. Make-and-take 4-H activities for the kids will be available from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Friday and from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The first rodeo hits the arena at 8 p.m. Thursday and at the same time Friday and Saturday nights. Friday has an 8 a.m. beef show, 1 p.m. small animal show and a small animal round robin competition. Saturday, the large animal round robin kicks off at 9 a.m. with an awards assembly at 11 a.m. At 1 p.m., the 4-H and FFA animal auction begins. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., there will be a barbecue dinner and various musicians. The cost is $8 per person. The Washington County Fair began in the 1940s or 1950s, Chandler said. She’s been involved for 48 years. “I was a child involved in the fair. I started my first 4-H project in fourth grade,” Chandler said, adding she and her siblings always attended the fair growing up. “We’re just involved in the fair. It was part of every summer.” Chandler said the board works 51 weeks a year to make the one-week fair happen on a budget of $35,000 to $40,000. The six-member board is responsible for maintaining the fairgrounds and making improvements. One big project in the works is a new exhibit hall as the old one collapsed under snow in February. This year the open classes will be housed in a tent with a night watchman guarding them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 details | Event begins Monday in Cambridge and admission is free. Check out more  local news at www.argusobserver.com.