Fair Provided A Special Moment For One 6-Year-Old
On Thursday afternoon, 6-year-old Tate Bare led his prize lamb into the show ring at the 2026 Rockbridge County Fair & Expo. It was a big moment, and not just because he’d worked for months caring for and training Georgia, his 4-H project, and not just because showing livestock at the fair continued a Bare family tradition.
It was a quiet victory that made his entire family proud.
Two years ago, Tate was diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can cause a range of difficulties including intellectual disability, attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiance disorder, and sensory processing issues that can mimic autism. His 1-year-old brother, Jensen, also has the syndrome.
When you meet Tate, you probably won’t know he has Fragile X. But his mom and fierce advocate, Kelly Bare, says the diagnosis is not without its difficulties.
“We’re very blessed and fortunate that he can do all he does,” Bare said. “But it does show up, and we’re working through that.”
A first-grader at Fairfield Elementary School, Tate has curly blonde hair and looks right at home in jeans and cowboy boots. He hails from a long line of Rockbridge County farmers and dirt track race car drivers. His grandfather is retired Hall-of-Famer John “Booper” Bare, and his dad, Tyler, is still on the racing circuit.
Tate’s aunt is Rockbridge County 4-H and Youth Development Extension Agent Megan Sheets, and given his heritage, it was an easy decision to get him involved with showing animals. Sheets explained that raising and showing an animal at the regional fair is a family project that teaches kids responsibility and helps them understand the farming industry. For Tate, the goal of showing his lamb gave him something to put his boundless energy toward and also gave him a sense of place with kids his own age.
“These kids are very much a community, and they look after each other and take care of each other, so I think if a child is going to do something, I can’t think of anything better for them to do than something like this,” Sheets said. “This is a project for any child. Any child can do this and have some success with it.”
Bare said they have tried organized sports with Tate, but sensory issues have been a problem. The idea of 4-H just fell into place with his aunt’s help.
Tate’s entire family was with him during the months of preparation to get Georgia ready to perform. It was Bare’s first time showing an animal as well, so it was a first-time mom and son project. Bare said Tate took to it immediately, getting up early to feed and care for his lamb every morning.
“It was important to me because I want him to be included in everything,” Bare said. “And he loves getting up every day to feed his lamb. That’s the first thing he talks about. So it gives him a purpose and makes him feel very proud.”
But when the big day came that weekend, Tate’s family wasn’t quite sure he would want to get in the ring. Showing an animal is a very specific process that involves an audience, positioning an animal in a certain way to show off its characteristics, and leading it around in a controlled way.
Bare said that from the beginning, they knew there was a possibility that Tate would bow out at the last minute - which would have been just fine.
But he didn’t. “It was funny, because we went the night before to set up, and he was very scared and timid, didn’t want to go into the barn,” Bare said. “But the day of the show, when you would think he would be more nervous, he wanted to jump right in there.”
Tate was the youngest of a group of five 4-H’ers to show lambs Thursday. He had the help of an older club member. He got tired of the whole thing about halfway through. His mom and aunt knelt nervously next to the ring, cheering him on and encouraging him to “do his work.”
But they couldn’t do the work for him. That’s where his fellow 4-H’ers came in.
“All the kids were so helpful,” Bare said. “Everyone jumped right in. They helped us bathe her. It was so inclusive. Everyone was so nice and kind.”
Tate and Georgia ended up with a fourth-place ribbon. But more importantly, Tate left beaming, grabbing his younger cousin’s hand.
Then there was the promise of a bigger reward: Fair rides.
When this reporter asked him about his favorite moment from his debut, his answer was hilariously clear: “Ride rides!” he said.
Bare now works with a genetic testing company to help parents navigate diagnoses like her sons face, and also help doctors spread awareness about genetic testing.
At the same time, she and her husband devote their time to enjoying their boys on their farm near Brownsburg, which is the place that Tate really thrives.
“He loves the farm. That’s where Tate is his best self, and that’s where he really shines through and feels most at home,” Bare said.
Bare said the fair experience was just what he needed.
“All night and even this morning, he was clapping,” Bare said. “He asked for me to clap for him again, and was telling me, ‘I showed my lamb!’ So that was a good moment for him.”
