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A man grooms a sheep at the Utah County Fair on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in Spanish Fork.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Utah County Fair board member Steve Money, right, is pictured with his granddaughter at the Utah County Fair on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in Spanish Fork.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Open Show creations are pictured at the Utah County Fair on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in Spanish Fork.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Kynlie Wride, right, shows off her sheep at the Utah County Fair on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in Spanish Fork.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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A girl walks her lamb at the Utah County Fair on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in Spanish Fork.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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The man they call “Mr. Rodeo” has a fool-proof way of knowing if he’s putting on a good show.

“You don’t see what’s going on, you look at the crowd,” Utah County Fair board member Steve Money said. “If they’re all sitting there watching, and not on their phone or talking to their neighbor, they’re enjoying it.”

Money believes the 2025 Utah County Fair in Spanish Fork will have plenty of put-your-phone-away type of events, starting Thursday night with the rodeo and stretching into a monster truck show Friday and a demolition derby Saturday, all at the Outdoor Arena.

“Go in the arena and watch the rodeo, or the next night, monster truck, or the derby after that. You will not be disappointed, guaranteed,” Money said.

But a good show goes further than the flashy events that are expected to fill or almost fill the 8,000-seat arena throughout the weekend; it’s also about capturing the more traditional activities that showcase the talents and efforts of many Utah County families that participate in the fair each year.

It’s a chance for Kynlie Wride, of Spanish Fork, to show the world her lamb that she has spent countless hours preparing for a market lamb show.

On Thursday morning, Wride was at the fair with her family, grooming her unnamed lamb and getting her ready for the big day.

“(The lamb) gets worked on every day,” Wride said. “She gets her legs run to try and grow hair on her legs to make it look like she’s got more muscle. So just a lot of time working her and training her so that when it comes show day, they’re ready to get judged.”

Wride said her parents had her working with livestock since she could walk, and it’s something she’s grown to be passionate about.

“I love the work ethic it teaches you,” she said. “The first thing you do every morning is feed them because they can’t take care of themselves.”

Walk through the box stalls at the fairgrounds and you’ll see dozens of oversized pigs, beautifully groomed sheep, impressive horses and other livestock, all raised by people and families putting in time and effort to produce the best animals.

Walk further south on the fairgrounds and you’ll arrive at a large warehouse. Inside is the Open Show, which showcases people’s best inanimate creations — artwork, crafts, vegetables and baked goods.

These items are considered by many to be staples of a true fair.

“The animal display is going on. Just incredible,” Money said. “But the big thing, too, is this Open Show here, because the fair was all about people that made that real nice quilt, or somebody grew that big tomato or wanted to showcase a bouquet of flowers.”

Fair volunteer Chelsy Burnah said the Open Show is all about the community trying to “inspire each other” with their best creations.

She worries, though, that it’s becoming a lost art. The northern portion of the county does not participate as much as the south, and the kids seem to be less involved.

“We want this tradition to continue forever. And the younger generations don’t know how to do it. We’re losing them,” she said.

As long as “Mr. Rodeo” himself has anything to do with it, though, the traditions will continue and a good show will remain, with no smartphones in sight. 

“I’m thankful that the (county fair directors) could see this: We need to have a county fair,” Money said. “I mean, Utah County is huge, and we need to have a good county fair.”