Butter bull helps spread fun at fair

Sculpture is one of the highlights of the annual event

Visitors to the Utah State Fair shouldn't have thoughts of rubbing their corn on the cob in the Dairy Farmers of Utah butter bull sculpture — the butter is several years old.

For the past 10 years, two Utah-based sculptors have created a butter sculpture with a cow theme. From a cow jumping over the moon to this year's theme, a bull-riding cowboy, the butter sculpture is a must-see for fairgoers.

The sculpture begins as a frame: chicken wire, metal and a bit of wood. The sculptors then slap on the butter and proceed to sculpt. After the fair concludes, the butter is placed in buckets, frozen and saved for the next year. Donated by Meadow Gold, the butter receives new additions every year, but the majority of it is reused. The butter used this year is probably 3 or 4 years old.

Debbie Brown and Matt McNaughtan are this year's sculptors. Brown has been involved with the sculpture for the entire 10 years of its existence. This is McNaughtan's first butter sculpture experience. McNaughtan said it's cool to be able to tell his friends that he helped create the butter bull.

The thickness of the butter ranges from about 1 centimeter to about 8 inches, Brown said. Brown said it was great to have McNaughtan helping because he grew up on a farm and could use his cow knowledge while sculpting. Both Brown and McNaughtan have degrees in art and sculpt regularly. The sculpture takes about 80 hours to complete and is available for viewing only during the fair.

The butter bull isn't the only attraction at the fair. Visitors can ride the carnival rides, eat a variety of foods and enjoy the exhibits.

One of the most notable fair-affiliated events showcases cows — live, not butter — and other farm animals. Goats, sheep, dairy and beef cows, chickens, horses and more can be seen throughout the fairgrounds during showing events and while in their pens.

Nita Smith and her family have brought goats to the fair for the past five years. Small and large, short-eared and long-eared goats have been shown by the Smith family. During the year, the Smiths use the goats for milk and cheese at their home in Clearfield.

The Gorshe family from Riverton made a trip to the fair Thursday. Erin Gorshe said she has been attending the fair since she was a little girl, but this was the family's third year. They brought their 3-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son. The most enjoyable part was looking at the animals, said Craig Gorshe.

The fair opened its doors on Thursday and will run through Sunday, Sept. 16. Some people encountered a bit of confusion on the times for Thursday's opening, which differed from the rest of the fair days. Denise Allen, fair spokeswoman, said the changes in time will be better shown on the Web site next year.

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