4-H members get top dollar for market animals

The rain Sunday didn't stop dozens of buyers from placing bids on market animals at the fair. After a soggy start, the weather took a break long enough for Sanders County 4-H and FFA members to parade their animals around the arena one last time.

Unique to the fair this year were two turkeys, raised by Kendall and Cooper Spurr. Kendall's turkey got a high bid of $1,500 from Uffda Montana, and Cooper's brought in $825 from Burk Construction. Before auctioneer Kevin Hill opened the bidding for Cooper's turkey, she told the crowd "this is the last turkey, so it's all your last chance to bid," and got a good laugh from sale attendees.

Cody Hafner's grand champion Simmental-Angus steer was bought by Westland Seed of Ronan for $5 a pound. Les Schwab of Missoula and Ronan bought the top swine, raised by Audrey Fairbank, for $14 a pound, and paid the same price for Kyla Warnes' grand champion sheep. Les Schwab ended up with the most market animals at the sale, with three pigs and one sheep. Several buyers bought multiple animals at the stock auction.

While the bidding was competitive, the kids and Hill had some fun. Hill did a short interview with each kid as they brought their animal into the sale arena. When he asked Jody Page of the Hot Springs Wranglers the name of his pig, Page replied "Kevin Hill." Hill said he'd been called worse and then offered to open the bidding at a dime per pound. "We're selling Kevin Hill by the pound," the auctioneer joked. Clint Lien entered the ring with he and his blue ribbon steer both wearing floral leis.

Sylvia Fairbank's pig had the highest bid per pound, with her grandpa Steve Fairbank winning a bidding war with Jay Deal of JW Design to buy the pig at $17 a pound. Hannah and Kyla Warnes each got top dollar for their sheep at $14 a pound.

There was only one meat rabbit in the sale, raised by Brianna Horner and purchased by Reinhardt Ranch for $500. Beef prices ranged from $3.75 on the low end and the highest price of $7.50 a pound going to Brooke Jackson of Hot Springs. The lowest swine price was $5 a pound.

At the end of the sale, Rehbein Ford and Denley Loge partnered to bump up all of the beef prices to $4 a pound and all of the pigs to $6.75 a pound.

As one of the last 4-H events of the sale, winners of the annual meat raffle were drawn. Jase Miller and Stephanie Prosser each won half a pig, donated by First Security Bank, and Kaylie Cook and Ben Bewick each won a quarter beef, donated by 3H Simmental Ranch. Western Montana Stockmen's Association donated the processing for the raffle animals.