Our 39th year Serving more than THURSDAY 146 acres of July 29, Neshoba County The Fair Times. 2021 Weather KADEMI Sunny High: 98 Low: 73 Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 10 percent. What’s doin’ TODAY n 9:00 a.m. – Dairy Cattle Show, Cattle Arena n 9:30 a.m. – Political Speaking, Founders Square n 8:00 p.m. — The Jordan Davis Show, Grandstand Philadelphia native HARDY performs to a massive audience Tuesday night. Complete schedule, page 12A Inside Williams adds local talent to rodeo By Duncan Dent to rope the hind legs of the steer. The team is says he has barely even started. timed and winners are decided based on the short- Organizing the roping for the Fair has been a There’s a strong enough rodeo tradition in this est times. humbling experience. Despite all the hard work area that John-Thomas Williams thought it im- In the competition on Friday night he missed and sweat equity Williams has put into the team portant enough when he moved back a few years and on Saturday he said he caught the head but roping event, he gives all the credit to God. ago to bring local talent to the Rodeo. his heeler missed. Despite that, Williams said the “Without God, none of this would be possi- Williams has been around hard farm work and eight-team local event was a real crowd pleaser ble,” Williams said. “None of this is worth it with- rodeo events for most of his life but seriously took at the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association out Christ.” to team roping when he was 20 years old. event. Born and raised in Neshoba County, Williams A lot of things can go wrong during team rop- “Everyone did great. We had a wonderful moved back home in 2016 to be close to family. ing. Each team is made up of two men on horse- time,” Williams said. “The crowd went crazy over He works at the iconic family store, Williams the local folks.” Brothers. He represents the fourth generation in n back, a header and a heeler who follow a steer that Musicians keep Fairgoers enter- is let loose in a pin. Williams has a few tattoos and the signs of the store. tained, 1B. The header is charged with roping the head or hard work on his body though despite those Since he has moved back he has asked anyone horns and “turning the steer.” The heeler then tries weathered qualities he looks youthful even con- who will listen about having a team roping event n Cabin 314 known for having big sidering his 35 years. He gives off an energy that See COWBOY, page 6A meals, 2C. n World War II vets brought Fair back, 2D. Established 1881 © Copyright 2021 The Fair Times Page 2A, The Fair Times, July 29, 2021 Coaches to speak at Pavilion this afternoon By Steve Swogetinsky It might not be a Neshoba County Fair first, but no one seems to remember when the head football coaches from Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss have appeared together. Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss, Mike Leach of Mis- sissippi State and Will Hall of USM will appear together at the Fair today for a roundtable discus- sion starting at 2 p.m. “To my knowledge, it’s a first,” said Scott Bounds a member of the Fair Board. “I thought if we were able to get them together and pull it off, it would be unique. This is probably a one-time thing but it could turn into something, maybe not annual but every few years. I thought it would be something a little bit different.” The three coaches will be at the Pavilion from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. SuperTalk Mississippi is going to broadcast it for one hour uninterrupted. Sid Salter will moderate the discussion. It will be a round-table format with each coach being able to talk about their team and upcoming season. They will take questions from the radio audience and they will take questions from the Fair audi- ence. “This is something we have been working on for a few months,” Bounds said. “It just takes time to put it together.” Lane Kiffin Mike Leach Will Hall The Fair Times. James E. Prince III Editor and Publisher HOW TO CONTACT US [email protected] By telephone Steve Swogetinsky Telephone: (601) 656-4000 Managing Editor Fascimile: (601) 656-6379 [email protected] Text: (601) 416-5117 Joy Stewart Web Advertising thefairtimes.com [email protected] neshobademocrat.com Duncan Dent E-mail Staff reporter [email protected] Payton Bishop Social networking Staff reporter Facebook: The Fair Times Twitter: @fairtimes #NCF2016 Audrey Hall Instagram: @thefairtimes Staff reporter Physical address 439 Beacon Street Contributors: John Lee, Scott Hawkins, Jason Dyess, Philadelphia, MS 39350 Coleman Eakes Story ideas If you miss a Fair Times 601-656-4000 The Fair Times is published daily during the Fair. On Wednesday, The Neshoba Democrat is also delivered. If your area is having problems with Fair Times deliv- [email protected] ery, please contact us at (601) 656-4000 or text (601) 416-5117. The Fair Times txt 601-416-5117 is free and extra copies are available in bright yellow racks at the northeast en- trance to the Square and along the road to the new section. News tips are encouraged. Published by the staff of Page 3A, The Fair Times, July 29, 2021 YOURYOUR HHEALTHEALTL H IS OURPR RRIORITY C -B P N F S, IP ILL PH FER JENNI Neshoba Central School C il nic \ 601.676.0525 Located on the Neshoba Central Elementary Campus 1002 St. Francis Drive \ Philadelphi ,a MS 39350 Neshoba County General Hospital – Nursing Home complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATATENCIÓN: si habla espp,añol, tiene a su disppgosición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingg(üística. Llame al (601) 663-1200. /CHÚ Ý:5ң\I҅U U}P ;PңUN P= ҫ[ J} JmJ K үJO ] ӉOһ [Y ӇUN NUUNWNӓ TPҩU WOx KnUO JOV I wwwwwwww..neshobageneral.com YOUROUR HHEALTHEALLTH IS OUR PRIORITY -C P N , F D AN KL KIR ON SHANN Philadel ph i a School Clin i c \ 601.656.9183 Located i n si de Ph P li adel phia Elemeentary School 406 S rt ib ling S treet \ Philadel ph ia, MS 39350 Neshoba County General Hospital – Nursing Home complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al (601) 663-1200. /CHÚ Ý:5ң\ I҅U U}P ;PңUN =Pҫ[ J} JmJ KүJO ]Ӊ Oһ [YӇ UNU UNӓ TPҩU WOx KnUO JOV I wwwwwwww..neshobageneral.com Page 4A, The Fair Times, July 29, 2021 Page 5A, The Fair Times, July 29, 2021 Page 6A, The Fair Times, July 29, 2021 During his time in Texas Williams worked as a drum tech for the Austin City Limits television Cowboy program. Variously he worked as a handyman for studio and practice space at a facility in Austin Continued from page 1A for his band Nova. Music was his first love for many ways. He at the Rodeo. In 2019 he got his shot. He organ- said at a young age his parents had him in con- ized 10 teams, with two people on each team. stant music lessons after an ADHD diagnosis. He Everyone paid $100 for a shot at payouts for first said he studied voice and piano to focus his wan- and second-best times. dering mind and finally found drums as a way to “I know more now than I knew back when I channel his energy. started,” Williams said. “I had a lot of opportu- Williams has played drums locally with bands nities to do some roping in Texas but I think I that include Pinnishook, who are set for the have won more since I moved back home.” Pavillion for Wednesday night’s selection of Williams roped with heels Rivers Irby and Ty dance music, and Forever For Now, a local metal Miller on Friday and Saturday respectively. Fri- band that once included Michael Hardy on vocals day night other teams included Dylan Jones and for a time. Hardy, a rising star in country music, Jarrett as well as Tyler Dea Lovern and Judd will be performing under his current stage name Young. Joiner Peoples and Chris Strickland HARDY at the main stage on Tuesday evening. closed out Friday evening. Williams said his friend’s music reflects the On Saturday, Williams had Gaston and Pey- values and lifestyles of a lot of people locally in ton Strickland were followed by Meah Pinter and Philadelphia and Neshoba County. Wyatt McCann. Landon Beason and Brayden “What he talks about in his country songs are Welch were also scheduled to rope and Williams really how people in Neshoba County live,” and Miller closed out Saturday. Williams said. “We go to church on Sunday and “We just wanted to bring something to the work hard the rest of the week.” rodeo at the Fair where local people would hear Williams said he works hard for his sons John-Thomas Williams and his dog Allie Cat Williams their names and say, ‘Hey, I know them,’” Calvin Wallace Williams, who was in the crowd Williams said. over the weekend, and his younger son Coy The 2019 contest went a bit more smoothly Williams does not stop moving.