Published: April 04, 2008 12:02 am      

County Fair is ‘way of life’ for Huntsville native

For David Moorman, the Walker County Fair and Rodeo is more than just an event that happens once a year, it is a way of life.

After his family moved to Huntsville in the early 70s, Moorman, at age five, began learning how to lead a successful life in more ways than one.

“We moved to Huntsville from Lubbock,” Moorman said. “My dad was an agriculture professor at Sam Houston State University. I went through school here and graduated from Huntsville High School.

“I participated in the fair the very first year they brought it back (in 1978) and showed (animals) all the way through school. A bunch of folks in the community really got it going again.”

Beginning with a piece of property out off Highway 75, Moorman said he remembers the early days at the fair as a child.

“My parents introduced me to the fair,” Moorman said. “I showed rabbits and chickens. There was a Kiwanis Livestock Show the year before (the fair began) and we needed a place to show small animals. The fair was the perfect place.

“When it started, there were only tents out there. It rained and it was muddy, but it was wonderful. There were lots of kids who showed and a lot of folks who came out to the fair.”

Even at such a young age, Moorman said he understood the duty that comes along with raising an animal.

“I think it’s a very good thing for children,” he said. “Animals have to be fed and watered every day. You have to take care of them whether the sun is shining or it’s cold.

“You realize you’ve got to do those things and it gives kids a sense of responsibility.”

He also learned the hardship of situations that cannot always be controlled.

“I learned that rabbits are a little different,” Moorman said. “You’re raising them in a meat pen. You breed them and then pick out the young that you want to show — it’s not always easy to do.

“One of the challenges with rabbits is you don’t know what will happen until they’re born. It needs to happen sometime in January, but if the mother doesn’t do a good job (taking care of her young) or they struggle with cold weather, they may not survive.

“There’s a harshness there about life. Whatever animal you show, you have particular health problems to deal with whether it’s a five pound rabbit or a big steer or lamb.”

Moorman said the support from family and friends helps children through any situation.

“I don’t think any child goes through it alone,” he said. “There’s a lot of family support and guidance from parents. We really got into it and went to a lot of livestock shows all over the state.”

Moorman left Huntsville after high school to attend Texas A&M University.

“I graduated with an agriculture economics degree,” he said. “Then, I attended Baylor Law School.

“I think the fair helped me (prepare for college) because you learn you’ve got to go, and you have to do the work. At times, you’ve got to take care of your business before you can go out and play.

“Whether it’s Christmas or Easter, the animals (you’re raising for the fair) know they’re hungry, they need to be watered and their pen needs to be cleaned.”

The fair and life is also, Moorman said, a constant learning process.

“Obviously, if you don’t care about something, you’re not going to do well,” he said. “Most people, with whatever project they’re doing, learn from one year to the next.

“Sometimes things don’t work out the way you planned, but you look on to the next time and how you can do better.

“The fair is good for kids, and I often think you can learn more when you’re not as successful, because it encourages you to prepare even more for the next year.”

After working as a briefing attorney and practicing law for several years after graduating from Baylor University, Moorman returned to Huntsville and got associated with fair again.

“When I graduated high school, I went to college, got involved and stayed busy with that and only had time to come back and visit,” he said. “In 1998, I came back to Huntsville because my parents are still here and I enjoy it.

“I got involved with the (Walker County Fair Association), serving as the signs director. I moved up and became an officer and then served as president for two years in 2003-04.”

As an adult, Moorman said he got to see the fair from a different perspective.

“You get a bigger picture about what all goes into making the fair happen,” he said. “I have a great appreciation for the folks that do the behind-the-scenes work — taking tickets, maintenance, running all the shows — and there’s a ton of volunteers.

“It’s a family event and the kids are helping, too. The red tables you see in the main building (at the Walker County Fairgrounds off Highway 30), those were built by volunteers 20 years ago, and they’re still being used today.”

Moorman said he is amazed at how much the event has prospered through the years.

“Walker County has grown and so has the fair,” he said. “There are a lot more kids who show animals and a lot more people come out. I remember when about 15 kids were able to make a project sale. Now, more than 100 kids can make the sale.

“We’ve come a long way, and a lot of those folks who started the fair are still here. A lot of blood, sweat and tears have been put into the fair.”

The history of the fair, Moorman said, is something that will continue on forever.

“The fair is a neat piece of history,” he said. “There are display cases filled with catalogues from each year listing officers, committee chairs, children who showed and placed and who bought animals.

“There’s a lot of history and you can go back and look at pictures when you were nine or 10 years old. It really is a family of the volunteers who keep this moving.”

Moorman currently serves on the WCFA board and the Long Range Planning and Site Planning Committee.

“Our committee is responsible for capital improvements for the fair,” he said. “We look at the fairgrounds and make plans for the future, making sure it meets the needs of the fair and the community.

“We seem to make improvements little by little — a sidewalk here, an expansion there — and those folks who were there from the beginning could tell you a lot has gone on through the years.”

Moorman now has his own family to share the future of the fair with.

“I’ve been involved and I will continue to be involved,” he said. “My son, Cason, who is five years old, wants to show. He’s playing T-ball, soccer and basketball. I want to make all the opportunities available for him. I won’t force him (to get involved with the fair) but if he’s interested in it that’s great.

“He has participated in the Little Tykes Rodeo and really liked it.”

Moorman said his wife, Christie, has also been involved with the fair, serving as past chair of the Academic Rodeo.

As the 2008 Walker County Fair continues into its ninth day of the fair, you can be sure you will see Moorman and his family there along with the hundreds of other volunteers and fairgoers.

“It gets to be a busy time,” he said. “There are a lot of folks who work there real job and then work a volunteer job at the fair. They go home, get a little sleep and then it’s back to work the next day.

“Walker County has been pretty blessed. The fair is a great event. It’s for youth — it’s the best opportunity for them to learn.