Fair volunteers Gary Baker, left, and Richard Williams move swine into holding cages before the livestock auction at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds. Sunday's auction was one of the final event's of this year's Douglas County Fair.

4-H members, their family and livestock buyers wash steer Sunday while getting ready for the auction at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Kelly Randal, left, washes steer with her sons clad in blue shirts, Preston Randal, 14, bottom left, and Hogan Preston, 15, bottom right. In the background, Jeff Baxter, clad in a cowboy hat, washes his daughter's steer with Luke McKelvie's help.

With the auctioneer’s voice booming throughout the Community Building at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds, bidders on Sunday afternoon fixed their eyes on plenty of livestock.

For area 4-H’ers, the long hours and hard work they invested in their animals culminated in the fair’s final show and sale. Sunday’s events – including the auction, awards ceremony and buyers reception – closed out the 2007 Douglas County Fair.

“You work really hard on your projects and your animals all year long,” said Libby Queen, 17, of Lawrence. “And it’s fun to show them off finally.”

She had just sold a hog for $400 to a bidder.

“You get here, and you get to see everyone else has been working also,” said Queen, who will be a senior at Lawrence High School.

Quentin Capra, 16, of Overbrook, was excited after someone bid $500 on his hog. He was rushing around to prepare his other animals.

He was having fun all right, but Quentin said his favorite thing about the fair was something else.

“Girls,” he said. “It’s a good place to meet them.”

Bryce Mock, 14, of rural Baldwin City, sat back and waited to sell his steer.

The Vinland Valley 4-H Club member said he had a blast at this year’s fair. He had to think a few minutes before naming his favorite event.

“Probably the (demolition) derby. That’s probably the funnest part because a lot of people I know were in it,” Bryce said.