Tri-State Fair Features Circus Acts, Carnival Rides

Staff reportsiBerkshires
10:32PM / Tuesday, August 18, 2009Print Story | Email Story

Photos by Paul Guillotte

Judit Nerger pats one of the white tiger cubs that will appear in the Nergers' Tigers and Lion Show at the Tri-State Fair this week. Top, two of the show's Bengals relax.

POWNAL, Vt. — The Tri-State Fair returns to the former Green Mountain Racetrack for the third year with five days of carnival rides, circus acts, music, food, vendors and more — including a pack of not-so-cuddly kitties.

Judit and Juergen Nerger have brought their big cat act to the Green Mountains with Nergers' Tigers and Lion. The couple, originally from Germany, have been training the big predators for three decades.

On Tuesday, the cats were mostly napping in the muggy heat. Come showtime, the 12 tigers and lone lion will be leaping through hoops, walking backwards on their legs, playing leapfrog and taking commands from tamer Juergen Nerger.

A tanned Judit Nerger, a tiger tattooed on her shoulder, stressed the animals' wild nature even as she patted one of three white tiger cubs in the troupe.

"These are trained animals, not tamed animals," said Nerger. "They are not pets. You could never have them as pets."

The cubs were rejected by their mother and raised by the Nergers. They'll turn a year old on Wednesday, the day the Tri-State Fair opens for its five-day run. The cubs will work with their Bengal teammates and the 10-year-old male lion, which gets along well with the Bengals, said Nerger.

The Nergers worked with the German State Circus in East Germany and Russia, and with the Circus Probst in Germany, Austria, Poland and France. They've traveled around the United States appearing at various circuses and events.

Training and caring for the big cats is a full-time job. And as much as the Nergers obviously love their dangerous charges, "never turn your back on them," Nerger warned. "They may trust us but we don't trust them."

The 12 tigers are joined in the show by a 10-year-old lion.

The Nergers' tigers are just one of the many attractions at this year's fair. There's musical events, vendors, food, pony rides, model airplane combat demonstrations, a motorcycle show, high-wire act, truck pulls, antique tractor pulls, classic cars, horse show, loads of carnival rides and bingo and Texas hold'em games. An American Indian troupe will demonstrate dancing and drumming along with arts, crafts and foods.

Wednesday night WUPE Radio will air live from 7 to 9 p.m. and offer a chance at a brand-new home through its "Home Free" contest.

Country-western duet Maria Rose and Danny Elswick will perform on Thursday at 7 p.m. and there'll be fireworks on Saturday night.

"We've got so much more this year," said organizer Joseph DiFusco of Hoosick Falls, N.Y.

The fair started as a benefit for the Knights of Columbus and now supports the San Damiano Family Support, run by the DiFusco and his wife, Wanda, and St. Jude's Children's Hospital. The DiFuscoes, fellow Knight John Mills of Cambridge, N.Y., and Robert DeStefano of Dreamland Amusements are the lead organizers.

The fair opens at noon on Wednesday and runs through Sunday at 9 p.m. Admission is $30 per bus/carload on Wednesday. The price includes admission to all events and rides. From Thursday to Sunday, the price is $20 per person for all rides; ages 3 and under free. A $5 coupon is available off that ticket price.

Not interested in amusement rides? The price of admission is only $5 per person with access to all the shows and vendors (sorry, you can't use the coupon for that price). A full schedule is available here.

Photographer Paul Guillotte contributed to this report.

Rides being set up Tuesday for Wednesday's opening of the Tri-State Fair.

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Your Comments

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Wild animals trained for cheap tricks at circuses are reprehensible and I wish parents would educate their children about the inhumanity of treating these beautiful creatures as entertainment. They should not have to live in cages and taught to jump hoops! Please boycot any circuses with animals and support the small circuses that feature skills without exploiting our wild friends.
from: liz Cunningham	on: 08-24-2009 12:00AM I Agree (2) - I Disagree (0)

The tigers were wonderful and well cared for,I actually attended the fair. So glad they don't have to worry about being illegally poached in the wild of some forsaken country with no one to protect them. If its not your thing don't go. Please don't try to brew your hatred and spread it to others. Don't bear false witness of your neighbor, and others you don't know. Teach your children tolerance of others!
from: Marybeth	on: 08-24-2009 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (2)

I saw the Lion and the Tigers at the Fair. Even though they look healthy, I think this is a cruel way to keep these beautiful animals. It was sad to see them caged in those small cages. It's time to make keeping wild animals ILLEGAL.
from: Candi	on: 09-03-2009 12:00AM I Agree (2) - I Disagree (0)

Hell yah these tigers should never be held in cages. So what if a humans mother abandons them do we throw them in a cage and held. I think this is the cruelest thing on earth and I highly do not believe in this method at all. I think animals used for entertainment should be illegal. I mean do you really think its normal for a tiger to jump through hoops, walk on their back legs, and all that stuff. How would you guys feel if we made humans do that shit. Make you be our slave and do whatever we want. You guys should be fined and it should be illegal to do this. I will never pay five dollars to ever support this.
from: chastity	on: 09-15-2009 12:00AM I Agree (2) - I Disagree (0)

Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
04:21PM / Monday, June 08, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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