Bowling Green School fourth-grader Brady Holmes is no novice when it comes to entering artwork and other items, such as vegetables and flowers, in the fair, and ultimately taking home ribbons, blue and otherwise.

Brady, the son of Brent and Tina Holmes of the Pine/Stateline Community and a member of Thomas Baptist Church, was the winner of 57 ribbons at last year’s fair, so his showing at the 2013 event was no surprise to his family and teachers at Bowling Green.

This year, art teacher Kay Bell helped him create and enter his first fine arts piece, which featured a beach scene replete with sand dunes, seagulls and a tattered fence. The painting took Best of Show. He also entered a couple of photos, one of a Mile Branch Settlement cabin, which was awarded Best of Show and Judges Award, and the other, a crowing rooster, which won a first-place ribbon.

Brady entered a number of exhibits in the Flower Building, including an old battered dump truck decked out to resemble a parade float, titled “Most Decorated Truck.” It won the first place ribbon and the Judges Award. Another, titled “Wish Upon a Star,” won first place and Best of Show. In all he won 12 first, nine second and two third place ribbons, and one honorable mention ribbon in the Flower House.

Because of his interest and participation in the Flower House, he was invited to attend the Franklinton Garden Club’s October meeting, where his exhibits were displayed for members to see. He also gave them a short explanation of each piece. Following his presentation, Garden Club member Jackie Smith presented Brady with a fair wall plaque. Also attending the meeting was his art teacher, Mrs. Bell.

In the Agriculture Division, Brady won nine first place, seven second place and two third place ribbons for his various exhibits, including a variety of eggplants, peppers, gourds, brown and white eggs, shoe peg and hybrid corn. He plants and maintains his vegetables and flowers himself and purchases his plants from Circle T and Ace. Brady has a special love for growing eggplants, bell peppers and Jubilee watermelon, most of which reached an average weight of 40-50 pounds.

Rounding out his fair exhibits are those he entered in the Junior Craft Division and the Education Building, and where he also had winning entries.

Brady and his family are already all looking forward to next year’s fair.