The Gem County Fair is more than just an event; it's a legacy for the Heath family in Emmett.
This year, Eddie Heath takes center stage as the Grand Marshall for the Gem County Fair, continuing a family tradition that dates back to 1949.
"Well my dad, of course, started it all and, my mom was just right beside him…" Eddie Heath said.
It all began with Eddie's father, Harold "Curly" Heath, who earned his nickname from his curly hair and made his mark as a rodeo clown. Curly introduced some memorable companions to the fair, including Mini Pearl, the famous mule, and even a pet raccoon named Coonie.
Watch the Heath family's generation of rodeo tradition continue.
Eddie recalls one particularly memorable moment when he tried to bring home a rattlesnake.
"My mom said 'you can take that rattlesnake somewhere or I won't be here' well… mom stayed and the rattlesnake went," Eddie Heath said.
Mini Pearl was perhaps the most famous member of the Heath family. The beloved mule lived to be 46 years old, passing away in 1982. Eddie remembers the days when they would pack her in the car, and sometimes her rear end would go right through the window when they forgot to roll it down.
For longtime Emmett residents, it's no surprise that Curly, Mini Pearl, Eddie, and Matt Heath have all been inducted into the Idaho Rodeo Hall of Fame, cementing their place in our local history.
"It was very humbling being inducted into the hall of fame," Matt Heath, Eddie's son, said.
Eddie and his brother got involved in the fair tradition early on, raising animals and taking part in their dad's clown act. The tradition continued with Matt, who was the youngest of three boys and the only one interested in following the rodeo path.
"Mini Pearl was the most famous one out of the bunch," Matt Heath said, referring to his grandfather's mule that held a special place in Curly's heart until his passing in 1988.
Matt participated in the rodeo from 1996 to 2013, getting on his first bull and steer at the Gem County Fair. Now, the Heath family tradition continues with Eddie's grandson, Linkon Heath, who's ready to write his own rodeo chapter.
"I asked him this year, I said you want to enter in the sheep riding and he goes yep and so, he's ready to go for it," Matt Heath said.
When asked about his upcoming performance, young Linkon confirmed, "Riding sheep."
"It's going to be pretty neat, you know, his grandfather is the grand marshall of the rodeo and he's going to be riding his sheep so it's going to be pretty darn cool," Matt Heath said.
While the Heath family is known for clowning around, the fair holds special significance for them. Despite growing over the years, the heart of the event remains unchanged... a time and place to celebrate Emmett's agricultural roots and support the next generation of community members.
"They've really, really changed it... for the better," Eddie Heath said.
The fair has been a home for 4H, rodeo, and fat stock sales in Emmett. According to Matt, this is the biggest week and weekend for Emmett and Gem County.
4H was a big part of Matt's life growing up, as he raised pigs for the fair. His daughter has now carried that tradition on, showing animals for the last 7 years.
"It's my favorite week in Emmett," Matt Heath said.
The Gem County Fair kicks off Thursday with a weekend full of events, running from July 31 to August 2.
The address for Gem County Fairgrounds is 2199 S Johns Ave, Emmett, ID 83617.
