COEUR d'ALENE - Michael Johnson pointed through the fence at his sister.

"There she is," the 4-year-old yelled.

"First pony ride ever," their mother Amy Recio declared, holding up her camera phone.

Jumping off the tubby pony, Emily Johnson made a beeline for mom.

"At first I was scared but I liked it and now I'm going to pet that horse over there," the 7-year-old exclaimed in one breath.

The North Idaho Fair and Rodeo is a rare chance for Recio's kids to interact with animals, the Coeur d'Alene mother said.

"They've never ridden a horse. They've only seen them on TV or driving by," Recio said.

"There really is something about having an experience rather than just looking at an animal. I figured it would be a good experience for the kids."

Plenty of memories are there for the taking at the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo, which opened Wednesday and continues through Sunday.

The parking lot at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds was already packed late Wednesday morning, and families swarmed through the maze of vendors, food booths, exhibit buildings and 4-H judging.

"Look at that one," said Jodi Babb, 29, inside the culinary exhibit building, where she and her mother took in a long spread of cakes shaped like cartoon characters, flowers and pigs.

Ice cream and a stroll was their break after attending 4-H events all morning, said Jodi's mother, Susan Booth.

"Our family has been in 4-H for about 21 years. We have to come every year," Booth said, adding that her other daughter, Kelli Booth, had won reserve champion for her hog.

Even though Jodi is too old to enter anymore, attending the judgings is still one of her favorite fair activities, she said.

"I still want to do it. I still want to get out and show pigs," she said with a laugh, and spooned some ice cream to her 8-month-old, Marty. "Someday he's going to have his own little pig."

It was the third year of 4-H shows for Kim Berly, who stood in the goat barn keeping a vigil over her 4-H project, Leonard.

"Today I'm a little nervous," the 11-year-old admitted, adding that she showed in a couple hours.

All the cleaning and feeding and watering is worth it, though, she said.

"You get to go to the fair, and you get money, too," she said. "I love the fair. There are just so many people and you see the animals, and there are so many adventures here."

Adventure was what was in store for Dillon Lanphere, 4, as he stood in line for his first Mutton Bustin' event.

"Living life, that's what I hope he gets out of it," said his mother, Shane Lanphere, of the sheep riding contest. "I am a little nervous, but he has no fear."

When the gate opened and Dillon's sheep shot out, dumping him after 4.5 seconds, his parents screamed from the sidelines.

Giving the dirt-covered tot a high-five afterward, Shane said they would look at the photos for years to come.

"Just that smile on his face is everything to me," she said.

Duane Fleming of Post Falls said most of the fair activities he goes to are for his 8 and 10-year-olds, who were immersed in games at the free Family Fun Park on Wednesday afternoon.

The motorcross event is what he looks forward to most, as a former motorcross rider for 10 years.

"It's just exciting. The oohs and aahs of the crowd at the crashes - it's one of the most strenuous activities there is," Fleming said. "I want to go back out and do it again, but I'm too old."

Elizabeth Morey hadn't let anything stop her from taking a helicopter ride with her two grandchildren, ages 6 and 9.

She was pleased with the $40, 10-minute ride, offered for the first time at the fair.

"It was fantastic. We saw the mountains and the lake," she said as she took her grandkids through the carnival. "It's been a little expensive, but you know, it's a fair. It's a special day."

The fair opens at 9 a.m. every day. Exhibits close at 10 p.m. every night but Sunday, when they close at 6 p.m.

A schedule of events is available at www.northidahofair.com.

Tickets are $8 for adults 13 and over, $7 for seniors 60 and over, $4 for youth 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are free. Parking is $3. Grandstand seats are $5.