Newtown Plays A Starring Role At The Bridgewater Fair

By Steve Bigham

Newtown always seems to play a big part at the Bridgewater Fair, and the 49th edition was certainly no exception. At the head of it all was First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, who was spotted in the lead car of last Friday’s kick-off parade. He was sitting alongside Bridgewater First Selectman Bill Stuart in the back of a Model T.

Then there was the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company, which was crowned “best overall company” at the parade. The Botsford and Hawleyville companies were also on hand to represent Newtown.

On Saturday, Tiger, the massive steer from Sandy Hook, had fair-goers in stitches during the animal parade. With 12-year-old Ashley Ferris on his back and Krystal Ferris, 14, leading the way, Tiger made his way along the parade route dressed as a rock star complete with guitar strung around his neck. He walked away with the “best pet” award.

Four-year-old Tiger, who weighs in at 2,225 pounds, spent the rest of the weekend resting beneath the 4H tent among the pigs in the center of the fair. The throngs of people passing by marveled at Tiger’s size.

“People said, ‘Oh my god, he’s so big,’” Krystal recalled this week. “Some people thought he was the biggest cow they had ever seen.”

Tiger, who won grand champion of the beef cattle showing two years ago, is no ordinary cow. He lives a leisurely life at Lazy Acres Farm at the home of Bob and Joyce Staudinger. It was the Staudinger’s grandchildren, Krystal and Ashley, who helped raise Tiger, who was born too big for his feet and to a mother who was sick.

“We had to pail feed him because his mother was so sick. He had a lot of human interaction and that’s why he’s so friendly,” Krystal explained. “He’s the biggest, friendliest cow.”

These days, the Ferris girls still put a horse saddle on Tiger and ride him around the farm. His best friend is a horse named Pokey.

Several other Newtown residents also took part in the fair. Some of them took home ribbons. Each has a craft specialty – talents that often go unnoticed because there are so few venues to showcase them… until each year when the Bridgewater Fair rolls around.

Heading the list once again was Mary Ann Novaco of Homer Clark Lane, who walked away with numerous ribbons for her canning, apple maple, and vegetable arrangements. The Newtown resident and prize-winning gardener is a retired New York City fashion designer.

Also faring well was Kay Epp, a 30-year Newtown resident, who won a blue ribbon for her bed quilt, which now moves on to compete for statewide honors. The quilt features old New England patterns called coxcombs, which had been purchased at a tag sale for $4.

Mrs Epp, who was also awarded for her crib-size quilt, had been a longtime substitute teacher in the Newtown schools. Having retired just this month from Sears, she spends her time doing needlework and keeping track of her grown children, who are scattered about the country.

“I love it. It’s a hobby,” Mrs Epp said of her quilting.

In the cooking department, Newtown resident Theresa Tavares took home first prize in the “surprise cake” category, out-baking 30 other contestants. Her three-layer cake looked like a birthday present with ribbons, rose buds, and bows decorating it. The cake featured two layers of yellow and a layer of chocolate in the center.

“It was all homemade,” Mrs Tavares said. “This is very exciting. This was the first time I have ever entered one of these. I went to the fair last year and said I want to enter next year.”

Mrs Tavares found out Tuesday that her cake had also won the Helen Stuart Memorial Award for the best of show.

Newtown resident Marge Costa was also a big winner, taking home a blue ribbon for her eggs, two blue ribbons for her crochet, and a second place finish for her wildflower honey.

John Ferris of 33 Pole Bridge Road took part in the fair’s vintage tractor pull for the sixth-straight year and finished fourth in the 10,500-pound class.