Fair's Day 2 features Idol search, rodeo
By ALDRICH TAN/Enterprise correspondent, August 20, 2004

Here's something you won't see on FOX's "American Idol" - 62-year-old Davis resident Robert Benson crooning John Denver's "Country Roads." Benson tweaked the song's lyrics to one about California's highways, singing "Crowded freeways, take me home."

Benson is one of 16 contestants who took part in the annual Yolo County Fair's talent competition Idol Search. Both the Idol Search and the annual rodeo were two competitions that dominated Thursday's fair events.

The fair's latest addition is Yolo County's first Idol Search, which took place on the Main Stage in the Rotary Park picnic area at the Woodland fairgrounds. Fair CEO Lonny Wunder said the Idol Competition first started at the Gold Country Fair in Auburn last year. It was such a success that Gold Country Fair CEO Bill Dale asked the fairs in the region to get involved. This year, at least seven area fairs will bring finalists to this year's Auburn fair in September, where the overall winner will receive $2,500.

According to the entertainment director for the fair and Idol Search judge Cameron Landers, the contestants sing one song and must provide accompanying music for their song. Contestants sang a wide range of tunes, from Mark Wills' "19-Something" to Blondie's "One Way or Another."

The three judges: Woodland City Councilman Neil Peart; Jeannie Malcom, fair entry supervisor; and Landers, ranked the performers for their ability to perform, stage presence, voice and overall appearance, on a scale of one to five. The winner would be the person with the highest score. That person would receive $250 and the right to compete against the other county fair contest winners at the final competition in Auburn.

Wunder adds that although the TV show inspired this local competition, Idol Search is not connected to "American Idol."

"There was a good variety of age, skill and presence," contestant Tony Cooper from Woodland adds. "There is also no phony stage junk such as rehearsed choreography. The environment is more relaxed and natural."

Benson was the only contestant from Davis. "My wife Lois read about it in The Davis Enterprise," said Benson, a California Public Employees' Retirement System internal auditor in Sacramento, who has been singing with the CalPERS choir for 10 years. "There's a lot of more talent in Davis and you'll see them coming out in the future."

The competitors also worked hard to engage the audience. Cooper asked the crowd to clap the rhythm of "Tearin' It Up" by Garth Brooks. "Y'all have to help me out here," crooned Cooper, as he got the audience into enthusiastic applause.

"I just wanted to get the audience involved and clapping hands is a good way to do so," said Cooper, a counselor at Davis' FamiliesFirst. Cooper adds he also is a semi-professional and has been singing since he was very young.

"You see that the singers are engaging the audience," said Woodland resident and event attendee Judy Thompson, who also is a registered nurse at Sutter Memorial in Sacramento. "It is a positive atmosphere and people are just enjoying the performances."

As the Idol took place on the Main Stage, cowboy aficionados crowded into the annual rodeo to watch their favorite locals riding and roping. According to Malcom, who has been attending the fair for more than 50 years, the rodeo dates back to the first fair in 1948.

Although the tickets are $10 for general admission, ticket seller Connie Giese saw a large turnout at the rodeo.

"It's a family event and a lot of friends ride and rope around here," said Giese, who works in the billing department at Woodland's Corner Drug store.

According to rodeo competitor Spencer Mitchell, who attends Healdsburg High School in Sonoma County, the rodeo is divided into two categories - timed events and roughstock events. The timed events include individual and team calf roping, barrel racing, steer wrestling and breakaway roping, a competition specifically for female competitors. The roughstock events were bull riding, barebacking and saddle horse, in which two judges rate competitors based on their technique and degree of difficulty. Thursday night attendees saw more than 200 competitors.

Competitor Ashley Williams from Turlock is not only in it for the money. "It's a family tradition," Williams said. "This rodeo preserves tradition."

The rodeo continues today. According to Mitchell, it will give out four prizes with first place being a check for $800. Attendees will need to go to Friday's rodeo to see the rest of the competitors and find out who the winners will be.

One of the attendees was Rod Brimm, who lives right across from the fairgrounds. Brimm has attended the rodeo for four years.

"You can see better rodeos on TV," Brimm said, "But I like it because of the live action and the fact that it is the real deal. It's not like a TV sitcom." Brimm's favorite event is bull riding.

Between the two competitive events, fair attendees explored the wide variety of rides and exhibits that the fair offered. Fair volunteer and Woodland health worker Jodi Rosenbaum has other reasons as well.

"I was born and raised here," Rosenbaum said. "It's also fun to see old friends and catch up with them at the fair."

Rosenbaum's young daughter Jamie has been attending the fair for 8 1/2 years. "I like the Tornado," she said, of one of the fair's more dizzying rides. "I also like the lights at night. They are very pretty."

"It was a good crowd for a Thursday night," said Margaret Holland, business assistant for the Yolo County Fair. She reports that the fair averages 20,000 to 50,000 people per night.

Even though the rodeo winners will be revealed tomorrow, the winner of the Yolo County Idol Search competition was 9-year-old Christine Trono, who sang "Part of Your World" from Disney's "The Little Mermaid."

"It was the first song that I ever mastered," Trono said. Trono's family had just moved to Woodland from Santa Rosa, where she received voice lessons from the Conservatory of Music. Trono also is a big fan of "American Idol" and her favorite performer is Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the first season of the show.

Trono's family including brother Valentino and sister Asia came to support her. "That's my sister!" 11-year-old Valentino said excitedly when the judges announced Christine's name.

"It was difficult to choose the winner," Malcom said. "Overall, we had a great group of performances." Malcom added that she focused on presence during the performance.

Trono's father Gary Trono believes another factor impacted his daughter's triumph. "We sang karaoke together when we lived in the Philippines," he said.

"She did an outstanding job," Wunder said about Trono. "The event just shows the quality of entertainers and performers in this county. I'm looking forward next year to a bigger and better event."

As Wunder plans for next year's Idol event, how is the talented Trono going to spend her $250? "I'm going to buy an iPod!" the 9-year-old replied.