GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE (Montana) 17 July 08 Great Northern Fair complete with rides, greasy food, 'Rattlesnake' Dave (Andi Murphy)

Havre: Something new slithered its way to Havre from western Texas just for the Great Northern Fair this weekend.

The fair, which started Wednesday and ends Sunday, is complete with carnival rides, greasy food and animals.

On Wednesday, 4-H members rode their ponies on fairgrounds as teenagers crammed into the Tilt-a-Whirl, Kamikaze and Zipper. In the grass, ventriloquist Joe Gandelman taught children some secrets of his talent and had an argument with his dragon friend who thought he was an elephant.

A slithering newcomer was also a hit.

This is the first year the Great Northern Fair has featured the "West Texas Rattlesnake Show," fair manager Tim Solomon said.

"I thought it was something of interest," he said, adding the show was highly recommended.

Like a lot of people, Solomon is curious about potentially deadly reptiles such as the western diamondback rattlesnake.

"I think that's cool because I've never seen a Texas rattlesnake before," said James Morris, 24, of Havre.

Morris planned to see the show at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Some children, who sat under the hot sun sipping drinks from the concession stands, also planned to catch the act. Later, "Rattlesnake" Dave Richardson answered their questions about snakes from behind a protective plastic wall.

"I try to treat them (snakes) good and healthy," Richardson said. "I've run pet stores out of mice before."

Richardson travels all over the country with his snakes, doing shows at fairs. Most recently, he was at the Cheeko Fair in California and a fair in Rock Springs, Wyo.

Richardson has showed off his snakes for 16 years, educating the public about them along the way, he said. His shows start with an educational introduction that includes where the snakes are from, what they eat, how dangerous they are and how many different species live in the Americas. Then he moves onto exhibiting smaller rattlers that are about 2-feet long, until finally bringing out the bigger ones, which are about 3 feet in length.

Since rattlesnakes can't do tricks, but instead choose to slither around and look dangerous, Richardson puts on most of the show.

He has jokes lined up to keep everyone entertained and he sticks his head in a barrel full of rattlesnakes so the audience can more clearly hear the rattles through his microphone head set.

"Some people think a man who puts his head in a barrel full of rattlesnakes is nuts," Richardson said.

He is quick to point out, however, that he knows the hazards and techniques to prevent himself from being bitten. The rattlers can't strike upward and they would have trouble getting through his Crocodile Dundee-style hat anyway, he said. He even has a special pair of chaps to prevent snake bites.

"I have never been bitten once," Richardson said, adding that even with all his knowledge and experience, he is actually a little afraid of snakes.

"I never really liked snakes," he said.

To him, handling these dangerous reptiles is just a good-paying and adventurous job, he said.

"I had a helper once," Richardson said. "But he went and found himself a real job."

Richardson will have shows today at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday's and Sunday's shows are at 2, 4 and 6 p.m.
Great Northern Fair complete with rides, greasy food, 'Rattlesnake' Dave

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