California Mid-State Fair cattle drive is canceled

The California Mid-State Fair has canceled this year's opening day cattle drive through the streets of Paso Robles, an annual tradition that started in 1995.

The cattle drive has been canceled due to logistical issues, said Mid-State Fair spokesman Tom Keffury in a press release.

Fair CEO Vivian Robertson said that the cattle drive requires a large amount of resources each year, including land to stage the cattle.

The property that is usually used as the staging area has been sold and is no longer available for the fair’s use. The bare land is imperative in the control and settling of the livestock, the production and the success of the cattle drive.

The cattle are always hauled in early to settle before they are trailed over Union Road to Creston Road and 13th Street, across the bridge, then down Riverside Avenue, Robertson said.

“This entire process takes an enormous amount (of) coordination and skilled horsemen, along with the city’s services to facilitate road closures and assist with all of the traffic control,” Robertson said.

She said she hopes to bring the cattle drive back for next year’s fair opening.

According to Tribune archives, Paso Robles businessman and rancher Mark Borjon came up with the idea of kicking off the fair with an attention-grabbing cattle drive. It was partly inspired by the movie “City Slickers.”

The fair will officially open Wednesday at noon, with the first-ever fair parade scheduled at 4:30 p.m.

This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 6:50 PM with the headline "California Mid-State Fair cattle drive is canceled."