SPOILER ALERT: Butter Sculpture Unveiled for 2017 New York State Fair

New York State Police working the State Fair

The 100th anniversary of the founding of the New York State Police is commemorated in 800 pounds of butter in this year's butter sculpture at the New York State Fair.

The sculpture, done annually by sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton of Conshohocken, Pa., shows two state troopers with a calf named "Trooper" at the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the fair. The other side of the sculpture shows a trooper helping a child at the fair.

The American Dairy Association North East, which is in charge of the butter sculpture each year, said in 1917, the first assignment for the newly formed New York State Police was the patrol the New York State Fair.

Young ladies from Onondaga County make dairy punch for those at the butter sculpture unveiling Aug. 22. Left in rear is Ruth Siau and front left is Elle McNamara. Right rear (with the larger crown) is county Dairy Princess Noie Skinner and front right is Paige McNamara. The McNamaras and Siau are dairy ambassadors.

The inspiration for the sculpture came from a photo taken in the Dairy Cow Birthing Center in 2016 of troopers Daniel Skiba and Michael Leggio with the newly born calf named "Trooper."

"Dairy farmers are honored to be a part of the New York State Troopers' 100th anniversary celebration," said Audrey Donahoe, of Atrass Farm in Clayville, Oneida County, "Agriculture is the cornerstone of the fair and so is the service provided by the New York State Police. We're proud to share that history."

"The butter sculpture is one of the attractions at the Great New York State Fair that is a must-see!," said Maj. Philip Rougeux of the state police's Troop D in Oneida. The New York State Police are extremely honored to have been chosen by the American Dairy Association North East to be part of the 2017 butter sculpture."

Pelton and victor worked on the sculpture for 10 days, using 800 pounds of salted butter from a plant in Batavia, Genesee County. 

After the fair closes on Labor Day, the sculpture will be taken apart and transported to Noblehurst Farms in Linwood, Livingston County, where it will be recycled in a methane digester -- along with food scraps and cow manure -- to create electricity and liquid fertilizer for crops.

The New York State Fair runs from Wednesday, Aug. 23 through Labor Day. The butter sculpture is in the Dairy Products building.