Animal projects culminate with livestock auction

A crowd gathered Sunday morning during the Sanders County fair to watch the annual livestock auction. 4-H members worked hard this year on their projects bringing 18 steers, 33 swine, one sheep, two meat turkeys and one rabbit to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Auctioneer Kevin Hill greeted each 4-H member as they entered the arena with their market animal conversing with them to help ease nerves.

The auction kicked off with Aubrey Tulloch's angus steer who weighed in at 1,475 pounds. Tulloch, who graduated from Plains High School this year and is now attending Montana State University, was named the grand champion senior beef showman of this year's fair. Tulloch's steer fetched a bid of $4.50 per pound.

Ben Aldridge and Nick McAllister's steers, weighing in at 1,325 pounds and 1,455 pounds, respectively, both garnered the highest per-pound bid of $5.75. Several businesses and individuals, including Full Throttle Transport, Rehbein Ford and Rep. Denley Loge bumped up prices of the animals throughout the auction.

Second year 4-H member Cooper Spurr was named the grand champion junior poultry showman of this year's fair. Spurr's 37-pound meat turkey sold for $4.75 per pound. This year served as Kendall Spurr's first year in 4-H. She was named reserved champion junior poultry showman with her 36-pound meat turkey that auctioned off for $6.50 per pound. Her turkey was donated back and auctioned off again. This time going to State Farm Insurance for $400 which was also given back to the 4-H council.

Isabella Hansen of Plains received this year's reserve champion junior sheep showman. Her sheep was bought for River Town Dental for $21 per pound. Brianna Horner's New Zealand rabbit, the only rabbit in the auction this year, sold for $200.

In the swine auction, prices ranged from $4 per pound to a high of $9.75 per pound for the pig raised by Colt Browning. Energy Partners donated an extra $2,000 at the end of the auction that will benefit the 4-H council.