Hard work and patience pay off for 4-H members at the annual Douglas County Free Fair livestock auction.
The ups and downs of a life in agriculture are no secret to farm families, but the diversity in emotions is perhaps most extreme the final night of county fairs across America.
That's when buyers at the livestock auction reward 4-H members for months of hard work taking care of sheep, steer and pigs with a check, a return on their hard labor. It's also the last time many of the 4-H members see their animals, which are shipped to a slaughterhouse.
"I have to say I cried this year," said Carrie Edmonds, who sold the Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer to Sallie Mae for a total of $4,365.
"I'm 19 years old, but I was pretty attached to my steer," said Edmonds, a sophomore in animal sciences and industry at Kansas State University.
Edmonds' steer, Frog, was one of 148 animals sold to 82 different buyers on Aug. 7, bringing Douglas County 4-H members a total of $64,000. The base bids -- the animals' market value -- was $39,453.
Clarke Jackman, chair of the fair's livestock auction committee for the past three years, said buyers reward the 4-H members by bidding above the market value, known as a premium bid. Premium bids have increased $16,400 over the past five years, he said.
"It's increased steadily," Jackman said. "The general economy is good, and the buyers come out and they're really supporting the kids."
As with all 4-H projects, raising an animal is a learning experience, and a lot of hard work, Jackman said.
"It takes an hour (each day) to do all of the chores," said Tyler Trowbridge, who showed three sheep and a pig this year.
His sister, Jill Trowbridge, sold the Grand Champion Market Barrow (pig) to Hy-Vee for a total of $1,337. The Trowbridges are from Baldwin.
"It teaches you how to be a good sport with other people, since there are so many people doing it. You can't go out there and expect to win it every time," said Tyler Trowbridge, a member of the Kanza 4-H Club.
Edmonds, a former member of the Stull Busy Beavers, is too old to show animals through 4-H. She has a lot of memories from the 13 Douglas County fairs in which she showed beef, sheep and swine.
"You get to show off your hard work at the fair," she said.
Forty-three head of market steers, weighing a total of 52,430 pounds brought premium bids of $34,025. Forty-eight sheep, weighing a total of 5,490 pounds had premium bids of $13,025. A total of 53 pigs, weighing 12,399 pounds had premium bids of $16,375.
The grand champion and reserve grand champion auction results are as follows:
- Grand Champion Market Steer, owned by Sarah Buttenhoff, Baldwin, 1,215 pounds, purchased by Hy-Vee with a premium bid of $6,100.
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer, owned by Carrie Edmonds, Berryton, 1,395 pounds, purchased by Sallie Mae with a premium bid of $3,500.
- Grand Champion Market Sheep, owned by Tyler Trowbridge, Baldwin, 126 pounds, purchased by Baldwin Junction Vet Clinic with a premium bid of $575.
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Sheep, owned by Luke Wempe, rural Lawrence, 126 pounds, purchased by Wempe Animal Hospital with a premium bid of $350.
- Grand Champion Market Rabbit, owned by Kim Gilges, Baldwin, purchased by Lewis Veterinary Clinic for $350.
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Rabbit, owned by Travis Stanley, Baldwin, purchased by Farmland Industries for $225.
- Grand Champion Market Barrow, owned by Jill Trowbridge, Baldwin, 248 pounds, purchased by Hy-Vee with a premium bid of $1,250.
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Barrow, owned by Mark Flory, Overbrook, did not sell at the auction.
-- Chris Koger's phone message number is 832-7126. His e-mail address is ckoger@ljworld.com.
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