From his earliest days of being the Chairman of Vocational Agriculture to being the Bourbon County Fair Board President for over the past 38 years, his dedication to the Bourbon County Fair is unmatched. Mr. Leslie Yazell put in long days and long nights to make sure that the Bourbon County Fair was a success for all. There is nothing more he enjoyed than seeing the smiling faces of all. He gained friends who would eventually become like family. He enjoyed long conversations with old and new friends throughout the fair week, something that many will always cherish.

Through the many mud slings, taking in entries for judging, truck pulls, livestock shows, and greased pig contests, Les was always the one to make sure things operated smoothly and went off without a hitch. He was involved in various roles such as being Vice President of the Fair Board before becoming the President. He was the cornerstone in getting many of the youth events started that are still around today. The involvement of the youth in the Fair was something very important and special to him. You may remember him being in the ring with all the muck and smelly goodness at the greased pig contest just to watch the kids have fun even if he did get dirty. His dedication and success allowed for the Bourbon County Fair and Horse Show to win numerous accolades and awards.

Through his many years of service, Les Yazell didn’t care about fame or the title. What he cared about most was seeing all the people of Bourbon County come out for some wholesome family fun. He didn’t care if it took all year to plan for one week in the summer for the Bourbon County Fair or how tiring it was. He would do it all again in a heartbeat for the people of Bourbon County. The past 38 years of his service have been filled with wonderful memories and his smiling presence for Bourbon County.

Come celebrate Leslie at the fair dedication on Monday, June 27th at 6 pm. The dedication will happen at the small stage located at the fair grounds.