Monroe, Wash., August 10, 2021 – Each year, The Evergreen State Fair honors an individual or family who has contributed significant personal time and energy toward the improvement and betterment of the annual fair. This year, the Evergreen State Fair recognizes and celebrates the dedication of Kathy VanBuskirk, 4-H Equestrian leader.

Kathy says that the years have gone by so fast it doesn’t seem possible that she has been in the 4-H programs for 50 years.  As a leader, she has been president, horse show chair, served on the Horse Fair Committee, announcer at horse show events, and active in the 4-H tack sale since it first began over 30 years ago. She was inducted into the Washington State 4-H Hall of Fame October of 2014.

Kathy has volunteered at the Evergreen State Fair every year for the past 20 + years working in the horse arena office helping with registration, ribbons, solving problems and answering questions at the office window. She is the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night for the 10 days 4-H horses are at the Fair.  She also works at all the 4-H Horse events at the Fairgrounds.

Kathy and her husband Bruce are celebrating 45 years of marriage this year and have two children together: their son Jay who participated in motorcycle 4-H and is active in auto racing at the Evergreen Speedway, and their daughter April who was in the 4-H horses program. 

All of these things have been wonderful, but for Kathy the best part has been working with young people, watching them learn about horses and helping others within their clubs and their communities. Kathy gets great pleasure seeing the kids she led bring their children back into the program after they are grown and gone. She is looking forward to seeing the third generation of 4-H kids join her program this year. As Kathy always insists, it has been most rewarding working with parents, teachers, leaders and a County that encourages and supports young people.

“Back in the Saddle Again” is the theme of the 2021 Evergreen State Fair which runs August 26-31 and Sept. 2-6 in Monroe.