Friday, March 29, 2024
Photo by Wayne Hendrickson Scott Schley keeps busy fair week as he is a member of the Fair Board and involved in many of the fair activities.

Scott Schley ready for another Dodge County Free Fair

Scott Schley grew up on a farm south of the Dodge Center airport with three brothers, Greg, Tim, and Steve and they raised hogs and crop farmed. Scott was active at the Dodge Center school with football, basketball, baseball, and class plays and he played tuba in the band.

A big highlight for Scott was being on the 1977 basketball team when they lost in a very close game to Winona Cotter in the regional finals. Cotter then went on to win the state championship when there were just two classes at that time.

Scott was involved with 4-H and would show his grandfather's Jersey cattle and hogs at the Dodge County Fair plus he earned trips to the Minnesota State Fair. Scott would also help area farmers and he baled a lot of hay during the summer.

Scott attended the University of Minnesota Waseca for two years and then moved to the Peterson, Minn. area. He worked on a dairy farm and later on three different farms in the Winona area.

When he moved in 1982 he didn’t know anyone, but he met Sue, and they were married in 1989. She had three children so he went from being single to quickly a family of five, and they now have five children.

Sue is an RN and she worked at the Winona Hospital for 10 years and later at the Fairview Care Center in Dodge Center for 20 years. She retired a couple of years ago.

In 1997, they moved to Lewiston where he worked on a dairy farm. In March 2000, the dairy barn burned down, but he was able to get the cows out. The owners decided to sell the herd and get out of the dairy business.

Scott’s grandfather had died in February so they decided to move to his place in Dodge Center. Scott started at McNeilus Truck in April and has been there since that time. He is the assistant supervisor of the yard facility so he fills the trucks at the fueling station, keeps the trucks running, plows snow, and anything else that needs to be taken care of each day.  

The year 2000 continued to be a very busy year for Scott. He was asked if he would join the Dodge County Fair Board as he had been very active with the 4-H program and this will be his 23rd County Fair.

Scott’s dad, Roger, exhibited at the Minnesota State Fair for over 50 years and in 2003 it was getting time to replace their large herd boar. Not knowing how much their boar weighed, they loaded him up in a trailer and brought him to the local elevator, and his weight was certified by Bruce Schwartau, the Dodge County extension agent. Henry weighed 1,080 pounds and was selected to be featured at the Minnesota State Fair hog barn during the 12 days of the fair. Since Scott's family was also showing hogs in the fair open class, they also stayed and slept above the hog barn building during the fair.

In 2005, the State Fair asked them if they had another big boar. Daniel was the son of Henry and weighed 1,070 pounds so they were again at the State Fair Hog Barn. A couple of years ago, Scott’s brother, Greg also had the biggest boar, Charlie, so once again the Schleys were at the State Fair hog barn.

There are 21 members on the Dodge County Fair Board and activities are scheduled throughout the year so they are busy. Campers, boats, motor homes, and vehicles are stored in the buildings starting in October until April, so board members are there to help check them in and out. Buildings are used for graduation and wedding parties during the summer months. Livestock shows and auctions are held at times.

Another huge event is the hundreds of trucks at the Big Iron Classic held in September. The fairgrounds also hosts the Relay for Life each August and for the past couple of years the annual Christmas Alive.

A lot of preparation work has been done to put on the 165th Dodge County Fair, which is the oldest county fair in Minnesota.

 

 

See full story in this week’s print edition or subscribe online. To subscribe, please call (507)634-7503.

 

Dodge County Independent

Dodge County Independent
Dodge County ADvantage
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

Dodge County Printing
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

507-634-7503
 
Hours: 
Monday-Thursday 10a.m.-3p.m.