Grand Marshal Mo

Cheryl Munroe doesn’t seem to know the meaning of slow down.

The Wyoming native, born and raised in Riverton, taught for nearly 50 years before she retired. Even up to the day of her retirement from Carbon County School District No. 2 as the Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher for both Encampment K12 School and Saratoga Middle High School, she was hard to catch up with. Munroe, or Mo as she’s endearingly called throughout the county, will substitute teach when she has the chance. That’s on top of running her ranch, the X7 Munroe Ranch, outside of Encampment.

“The fair and agriculture are very important to me. I was in 4-H when I was younger, my brothers and I,” said Munroe. “Then my children, now my grandchildren. It’s a family tradition and it’s very important to me.”

It’s fitting, then, that Munroe was named the Grand Marshall of the 2023 Carbon County Fair. Even more fitting when one considers the theme “Grow It, Sew It, Show It.” True to her character, Munroe was hard to keep up with. After being in the Carbon County Fair Parade on Saturday, she ran over to Cheyenne. Then, on Sunday, she traveled to Rock Springs to judge in the Sweetwater County Fair on Monday.

On Monday evening, she arrived at the Carbon County Fairgrounds where she wasted no time in making her way around the area and talking with people. Munroe, despite her short stature, has a presence wherever she goes and is easily recognizable. Upon meeting her, someone can see the teacher, the grandmother and the Do-It-Yourself ranchwoman wrapped all into one. As we stand outside the beef barn just behind the multiplex, attendees both young and old greet her and she is aware of all their accomplishments.

“I still help kids with their projects whenever I can. I was very surprised and I was very honored. So, yeah, I cried,” said Munroe, about being named Grand Marshall.

Agriculture has not only supported Munroe, but her entire family. Her son, Lyle, helps out on the ranch and operates his own farrier service. In his younger days, he competed in the rodeo circuit as a bareback bronc rider. Her granddaughter, Peyton, graduated from Encampment K12 School this year and will be going to college for livestock judging. The fair, said Munroe, is an avenue to educate those unfamiliar with agriculture.

“We spend our money on cars and tractors and clothing. If we don’t make it, it’s like a domino effect. Nobody else is going to make it,” said Munroe. “Letting people know and experience it and see it, then they start to understand.”

While the fair can make a good learning venue for those wanting to learn about the benefits of agriculture, Munroe said it also helps children prepare for adulthood by instilling responsibility. According to her, when raising fair animals, children don’t have the option of taking on their responsibilities one day and shirking them the next.

“I feel that all of this helps the kids become better adults,” said Munroe. “It’s not something you don’t do every day.”

What’s more, she believes the fairgrounds and preparing for the Carbon County Fair serves as a classroom outside of the classroom. Especially for fair kids who start out at an early age.

“I call it the KASH formula. Knowledge, Additude, Skills and Habits. As an adult I can give you knowledge and I can teach you the skill but you have to come in with a good attitude and good work habit,” said Munroe. “I think the work ethic and the attitude comes from doing it when you’re young, it goes with you wherever you are.”

When the fair comes to an end with the Junior Livestock Sale on Friday, the hard work will pay off for the competitors. The money they earn from the sale will most likely go towards the bills they accrued in raising the animal. They can also be satisfied that the sale is the culmination of their hard work throughout the year.

Cash and KASH.