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Big weekend planned at Kane County Fair

Weather rules at the Kane County Fair, and so far so great this week.

“The fair is a weather-driven program. You never know what's going to happen,” Larry Breon, who has been fair president 30 years, said just before Wednesday's opening day.

The last few years, Breon said, attendance has fluctuated between 75,000 to 150,000, greatly depending on the weather conditions. Last year, around 75,000 people attended over the five days of the fair.

Though he didn't have precise figures, Breon said Friday he estimated attendance was up 80 percent the first few days compared to last year.

On Friday evening, the grandstand was packed with fans of bull riding as the Professional Championship Bull Riders took center ring.

Each rider got up to 8 seconds in the ring, a short, but adrenaline-packed few seconds between man and animal.

Rider Cody Kelly. of downstate Benton. was busy preparing his ropes just before he got up on the bull.

“I've been doing this since I was old enough to walk, Kelly said. “It's just the love for it. You gotta love it or you ain't got no business doing it.”

That love of bull riding was contagious among the fans in the audience who cheered as each of the 30-plus riders had their action-packed moments with the bulls.

Attendance should be on the upswing this weekend. The forecast calls for sunny and pleasant conditons with temperatures in the low-80s on Saturday and Sunday.

The fair is open noon to midnight Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.

On Saturday, there's more bull riding at 2 p.m., The 4-H Talent Contest winners perform at 3 p.m. and the 4-H Milking Derby at 5:30 p.m. Sunday features the Blue Ribbon Sale at 1 p.m. at the Livestock Arena, the demolition derby at 2 and 7 p.m., the Neverly Brothers perform at 4 p.m. and American English at 7 p.m.

General admission is $10 this weekend. Grandstand shows, carnival rides, food and other features cost extra. Visit www.KaneCountyFair.com, or call (630) 584-6926.

Brooke Herbert Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.comMorgan Ottinger of Salamonie, Indiana manages to stay on his bull during the Professional Championship Bullriding at the Kane County Fair at the Fairgrounds in St. Charles on Friday. Ottinger was the second rider of the evening.
Brooke Herbert Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.comMarion Schmucker of Elkhart, Indiana front, prays while other riders prepare their ropes before the Professional Championship Bullriding at the Kane County Fair at the Fairgrounds in St. Charles on Friday. Schmucker has been riding for over 5 years and was raised Amish.
Brooke Herbert Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.comOsman Alvarez of Charlotte, North Carolina, tries to ride for the required eight seconds during the Professional Championship Bullriding at the Kane County Fair at the Fairgrounds in St. Charles on Friday. Alvarez is originally from Nicaragua and competes as a bullrider all over the U.S.
Brooke Herbert Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.comMarion Schmucker of Elkhart, Indiana prays before the Professional Championship Bullriding at the Kane County Fair at the Fairgrounds in St. Charles on Friday. Schmucker has been riding for over 5 years and was raised Amish.
Brooke Herbert Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.comThe cowboys and riders get introduced before the start of the Professional Championship Bullriding at the Kane County Fair at the Fairgrounds in St. Charles on Friday. Each rider gets only eight seconds on the bull and many riders spend most of their summer at different championships.
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