NORWICH – As the Great New York State Fair kicks-off today, hundreds of thousands of people look forward to the attractions, the rides, the games and the best talent New York has to offer. However, for the Evans family in Norwich, traveling to the state fair means a chance to put months of hard work to the test during the state’s largest open jersey show.

Keith Evans and his two daughters, Kara and Emily, are in the final prep stages to showcase their animals on the state’s biggest stage. The three spent the summer traveling to local events including the Afton Fair and the Otsego and Chenango County fairs, competing in open jersey shows and tending to the animals. In July, they competed in Cooperstown during the second largest junior show in New York (the first being the state fair). Kara Evans – 13 years old and an active member of the Chenango County 4-H – received top honors in her class when she showed her jerseys in the two county fairs, allowing her to move on to bigger competitions. Now, with the help of her father and seven-year-old sister Emily, she’s preparing to lead six of her prize-winning jerseys into the statewide spotlight during the New York State Fair.