North Carolina State Fair Memories

From around 1967 to about 1985.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones when I was a kid. My Grandfather, George McConnell, always took his ponies ponies to the NC State Fair and I always got to ride for free. As he got older, and I got older, I went from riding the ponies to actually working the ponies with my Granfather at the Fair. I would load the children on the ponies, strap them in if needed, and walk beside the ones most likely to slip and slide in the saddle. I still remember the smiles of happiness that the pony rides brought to the faces of those children. My kids named my Grandfather Grand Daddy Pony. As he moved up in age me and my family ended up setting up the ride, erecting the fence, ticket booth and a place for Grand Daddy Pony to sit and watch, always in his Stetson hat and polished cowboy boots with a spiffy bolo around his neck. We would close everything up around 10 each night and put the ponies away for the evening. At least once every other year or so we would get the call that helicopters had scarred the ponies and they broke out of their stalls and were wandering the fairgrounds getting to see the wonderful sights for themselves! We would gather up the ponies and always come up one short. After several more hours of searching we would usually find that last one with his head in trash can and a half eaten candied aplle hanging from his mouth. I think the ponies enjoyed the North Carolina State Fair as much as we did. The Fair gave us a chance to share time with Grand Daddy Pony and to enjoy all the great events that the Fair offers every year. My work has taken us all over the United States and we have been to a number of State Fairs and not can hold a candle to the North Carolina State Fair. Thank you North Carolina and thank you George McConnell.