Butter Sculpture Of Caitlin Clark At Iowa State Fair Draws Criticism Before It Is Warranted

The Iowa State Fair began in 1854 and has been held annually over an 11-day period in August in each of the last 168 years— give or take a few. It's a very big deal and brings well over a million visitors to Des Moines, the state capital, every summer.

It also draws a lot of politicians. Iowa is a swing state that often plays a huge role in the presidential election, which leads candidates for both parties to visit and pitch their platforms. Or... rap.

However, none of that political hogwash is as important as the butter sculptures.

The tradition began in 1911 with a butter cow. It is the most famous and is made by applying about 600 pounds (!!) of low moisture, pure cream Iowa butter to a wood and metal wireframe.

The cow would butter about 19,200 slices of toast and would take the average person two lifetimes to consume.

There have been just five butter cow sculptors in its more-than 110-year history. It's a big deal.

The butter cow was joined by its first companion sculpture in 1996. Now, 27 years later, it is joined by three iconic Iowa athletes — Jack Trice, Kurt Warner and Caitlin Clark.

Warner played at the University of Northern Iowa.

Trice was the first African-American athlete at Iowa State.

Clark will be a senior at Iowa in 2023/24 after averaging more than 27 points per game and leading the Hawkeyes to the national championship last year.

Caitlin Clark's butter sculpture is coming along.

The sculpture has been all over the internet in recent days and sparked a lot of criticism.

Why does it not look like Clark? Why is it so terrible when compared to past sculptures?

There is a reason! It is not done yet.

Butter Clark is still a work in progress and it's getting better by the day.

Clark's sculpture is set to be finished by the weekend. Stay tuned!