Here’s some huge shiny forest and farm machines, over there – great-looking and groomed horses. What a wonderful view to behold, at the Maamess Rural Fair kicked off yesterday, bigger than ever before.
Tartu Country Fair: seed potatoes and thoroughbred steeds
19th April 2013, 11:25
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«And here comes the loudest act, Tori stallion Hofman with Kristo Rebane,» announced the horse show host. Onlookers heaped to the arena edge. And no wonder, as the Estonian Horse Breeders Society (EHS) really boasts a multifaceted exposition.
The three years old Hofman, described by Tartu County horse breeder as «quite a quiet guy», is accompanied by seven more good-looking horses. Next to the Tori ones, here’s an Estonian mare Raasuke, Estonian load pulling mare Edwi, Trakehner mare Opka and Arabian thoroughbred mare Virginia.
A lot to behold
«People grind to a halt, as soon as you put something up on the square,» affirms the MC-Sales sales director Jouni Himanen, showing of forestry machines, nearby. To this section, people were attracted by precision lifting by lumber lifts – very popular in Finland.
Meaning: a competitor has, with the clock ticking, to pick up a tennis ball, by its big log jaw – for instance. And put it in a bucket.
«Such skills are required of all who do the job,» stated Jouni Himanen. «This sort of work cannot be done in a hurry; one has to stay very calm. Just watch and see: on Friday and Saturday the masters are coming. They really turn lifting into an art, working miracles in four minutes.»
So, boredom excluded. But it’s not show time only. Whoever is into field, forest or garden work, there’s things to purchase.
An example: Andres and Sirje Hendrikson from Mädara village, Vändra commune, Pärnu County, got a sack of Early Yellow (Varajane kollane) from Jõgeva Plant Breeding Institute people. «We came with the goal to find seed potatoes, we lacked an early sort,» said Andres Hendrikson. «Now we’ll heave the sack to our car and then go watch the fair also.»
Big auction
The farmer dared not predict when the potatoes might be planted, as Mädara village is still under snow. The best time is when the bird cherry blooms, advised the Jõgeva Plant Breeding Institute research fellow Ilmar Polli, adding that this year it will take till June.
Even if the fair started quiet, the machines, animals and food traders were still surrounded by decent crowds.
To really get into a big fair like this, time must be on one’s hands: the 21st Maamess is bigger than ever before – with 370 companies from ten countries. 140 of those are firstcomers. In exhibition halls, the fair covers 5,900 square meters. Outside – 45,000 m2. Plus the animal show’s 900 m2.
Today, the fair presents Spring Cup cutting competition, with beef animal auction on the way. 25 beef animals will be on the offer. Bulls starting price (VAT excluded) is €2,000. In-calf heifers are €1,590 to start with, non-calf ones €1,290.