It was still a day before the Stanislaus County Fair officially started its 2025 run and the fair’s newest director, Joe Jackson, was out talking with media representatives before touring the sheep barn and getting to know a few of the 4-H and FFA exhibitors and their families.

“I like talking to people and getting out there,” said Jackson. “… so I use moments like this [to ask] what do you think should be fixed? Or what do you agree with? So, a lot of people will hear that from me throughout the fair: What do you think? Do you like this? Do not like this?”

This will be the first fair since Jackson was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors for the 38th District Agricultural Association (better known as the Stanislaus County Fair) earlier this year. The Richmond, California native moved to Stanislaus County only five years ago, but is a veteran of the equestrian life. He is co-owner of Silver Bridge Rodeo Company in Palo Cedro and has been president of the Oakland Black Cowboy Association and the California Black Cowboy Association.

Jackson is passionate about not only preserving the history of black cowboys when it comes to settling the West, but also advancing history.

“I need to create the next generation of black cowboys, or any cowboy, right? I need to create the next generation of rodeo athletes,” he said.

He is hoping that the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds can become a place that will help foster the next generation of rodeo athletes throughout the year. It’s not just rodeo that Jackson hopes to see more of at the Turlock fairgrounds. As owner of Jackson Business Group and someone who has worked in corporate management, Jackson said people are the key to a successful business and organizations like the Stanislaus County Fair.

“Everybody on the board shares the same passion, it's number one; it's keeping the fair around for a very long time and making sure that we're a profitable entity. We don't, want to go under. No one does. So we shape all of our decisions around what we feel to be the best for the community, what we feel to be best for the furtherance of the fair and this is one of those…I would like to see the community come to us and say, ‘let's work together on building some level of a plan,’” he said.

While looking towards the future, Jackson is also excited for this year’s fair. He is most looking forward to spending some time at the fair with his three young daughters.

“It's always fun just to watch them enjoy the rides,” he said, but also talked about how he can watch them interact with their friends at the fair. “I remember when I was a kid, I went to the Alameda County Fairgrounds every year, and we went there because at the time, if you wanted to find a date for a prom next year, or you thought you needed a girlfriend for the summer, or it was a date night place where you could go win a teddy bear for a first date, that's where you went. So, I looked forward to that fair… I want that [for my kids], a place, number one that's safe, which it is, where kids can come, anybody can come, really, and just enjoy themselves. My actual favorite part is really just seeing how happy it actually makes people.”