OXFORD – Exhibiting at the Chenango County Fair and Agricultural Exposition is a tradition for many local farm families, including the Marshmans.

According to Bob Marshman, his family has been working the land and milking cows on their South Oxford farm since 1856. The earliest evidence he has of their participation in the county fair is a 1920 photograph, picturing his father and his aunt leading a (presumably prize-winning) calf.

“We’ve done pretty well over the years,” he said, speaking of the number of blue ribbons secured by his family over the last 90 years.

Marshman has done well for himself at the Chenango County Fair in another respect as well. It was while showing calves in 4-H competition as a teenager that he first met his wife Linda. The couple recently celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary.

Marshman is quick to brush off any idea that this makes he and his wife unique.

“A lot of farm couples our age met in 4-H,” he explained, adding that his own parents met through the youth agriculture organization as well.

Few, however, have received the honor of being named Mr. and Mrs. Chenango County Fair, the title bestowed up the Marshman’s this year by the Chenango County Agricultural Society.

Both Bob and Linda say they are indeed honored by the Fair Board’s decision to select them for the role, described by the organization’s president, Mary Weidman, as the fair’s “good will ambassadors.”

The Marshmans’ first and only official duty as Mr. and Mrs. Chenango County Fair is participating in tonight’s 4-H and Firemen’s Parade - during which the “royal” couple will be transported in style, in a shiny red convertible driven by Weidman.

Despite their lack of official responsibilities, the Marshmans plan to be an almost constant presence at the fairgrounds throughout the week. Which, according to them, is par for the course, title or no.