OXFORD — Diane Brown said she’s excited to show the Brown Family Farm’s 12 Shetland ponies at the Oxford Fair this week to educate and entertain people.

For Brown and her husband, Dana, who operate the Brown Family Farm in the eastern Maine town of Charlotte, it’s the first time they’ve exhibited at the Big O.

“Suzanne Grover (president of the Oxford County Agricultural Society) got me excited about coming here,” said Diane Brown, who went to a Maine Fair Association meeting in January and decided to get involved with the Oxford Fair. The farm is bringing 11 of its 31 registered Classic American Shetland ponies and one non-American-bred pony named Sydney, who was born in Nova Scotia. The ponies are between 4 months and 29 years old.

Brown said she wants people to know that about 80 percent of horses in the world are now pets, not means for work or transportation.

“(Work horses) are just not as efficient as machines,” she said.

The ponies have been traveling the last three months to fairs throughout the state, starting with Eastport on July 4, then Millinocket, Presque Isle, Ellsworth, Calais and now Oxford. They will be at Cumberland Fair next and finally Fryeburg Fair in October. Brown has had ponies at fairs the last four years.

“They work three-and-one-half months and then they’re off,” she said.

Brown said she takes the “babies” born in May so they can be with their mothers and get used to being around a lot of people.

She also wants children to become familiar with ponies and be comfortable being around them. Children will be allowed to ride and pet them, she said.

“They just love people,” she said of the little animals.

The fair opened Sunday with a Community Day, and continues on Wednesday through Saturday with cattle pulls, harness racing, a pig scramble, youth market lamb judging, horse show and woodman events, among other activities. For a complete schedule go to: http://www.oxfordcountyfair.com/

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