By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Kaylie Morrison, 9, a member of Marion’s Happy Hustlers 4-H club, showed her talent on her 8-year-old quarter horse, Tae, Sunday at a horse show that opened this week’s Marion County Fair.

Kaylie has had Tae three months. She competed in all events except halter.

Kaylie feeds Tae grain and hay and bathes her regularly.

“You get a bucket full of water and a sponge and soap, and you just wash her and you rinse her off,” Kaylie said.

What she loves best about Tae is the horse is respectful and eager to please.

“She does what I ask her,” Kaylie said.

Her parents, Justin and Chris Morrison, and grandparents, Ray and Peg Barrett came to watch Sunday’s horse show.

Nivea Funk, 11, Goessel, has done a horse project in 4-H four years.

Nivea had to borrow Denice Voth’s 18-year-old Arabian quarter horse crossbreed, Stoney, to compete Sunday.

Nivea paced Stoney over the trail ride course before the horse show began so he could become comfortable with the steps he would need to go over.

Nivea and Kaylie both took home several blue and red ribbons. While kids splashed in Hillsboro’s community pool just yards away to cool off, riders competed in 93-degree heat.

Parents, grandparents, brothers, and sisters lined bleachers to see the show.

The fair will kick off in earnest today with a 6 p.m. parade followed by a 6:30 p.m. hot dog meal. A watermelon feed and kids’ power pedal pull will be at 7 p.m. DJ Aaron Waddell will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. At 8 p.m., entertainment will move to the arena. A Kraft rodeo will include mutton bustin’ for children ages 6 and younger and a calf scramble for children ages 10 and younger.

On Thursday, a bounce house and food trucks will be at the fair, and commercial exhibits will open at 5:30 p.m. A cornhole tournament will be at 7 p.m. Kraft rodeo will be at 8 p.m. and include mutton bustin’ and a calf scramble.

Friday will feature a 4-H livestock and project auction at 6:30 p.m. and lawn mower races at 7 p.m.

Friday’s entertainment will include Wet ’n’ Wild from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a 12:30 p.m. barbecue competition that will feature a people’s choice award. Demolition derby will begin at 7 p.m.