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Fredericksburg Fair has a namesake FAIR SCHEDULE

August 1, 2008 12:16 am

BY MEGAN WILLIAMS

The number of animals at the Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair went up by one in the early hours of Wednesday morning when a baby donkey was born.

"This is a big event for us," said Bennie Brooks, president of the fair.

The last animal birth the fair has seen was more than 10 years ago when a litter of piglets was born.

"We've had a number of calves born as well," Brooks said. "But nothing as of late and probably, as far back as I know, never a donkey."

Frederick, the newest offspring of Daisy, was named for the fair.

Jennifer Caton, the owner of the petting zoo animals, usually names baby donkeys after plants starting with D, including Frederick's two sisters, Dandelion and Daffodil.

"He's special and deserves a special name," Caton said.

Frederick is a paint donkey like his father, which means he has a unique black, white and brown patchy coloring, which won't change as he gets older.

"It's our first paint donkey and our first baby born at a fair," Caton said. She and her husband, Wil, run Bar C Ranch and do three or four fairs a year.

They weren't sure whether Frederick was going to be born at the fair, but Daisy was getting very close to the end of her 11-month gestation period.

"She may even have gone longer because she was getting so big," Caton said. "I kept saying 'Any day now.'"

Caton was there to clean up Frederick when was born, but she said that Daisy knew what she was doing and didn't need help.

Frederick is considered big for a foal.

"He's a big baby, very leggy," Caton said.

Even though Frederick is only a day old, he runs around his straw floor cell, slipping and sliding on his still shaky legs.

"He's playing and having a good time," Caton said. "He's not at all shy."

Caton said her husband was concerned that Daisy would be protective of her newborn and would not let anyone near him.

"She was fine, though," Caton said. "She was more concerned about people paying too much attention to her baby and not enough to her."

Caton is surprised by how active Frederick is.

Most baby donkeys sleep a lot for the first few days of life, but Frederick has been very active, she said.

The fair crowds might be a factor, and Daisy is keeping him busy as well.

When fairgoers come to see Frederick, Daisy nudges him to make him get up so people can see him.

"She's trying to say, 'Look what I did,'" Caton said.

Daisy is 6 years old, and Frederick is her third baby.

"She's just glad to have him out of there," Caton said. "She's a lot more comfortable."

Other animals the Catons raise at their home in Clarke County include llamas, potbellied pigs, dogs, sheep, and camels.

Megan Williams: 540/374-5000, ext. 5661
Email: mewilliams@freelancestar.com