4-H livestock sale serves as fair finale

The Sanders County Fair activities for 4-H members culminated Sunday morning with the annual livestock auction. After the market animals have been judged and the showmanship skills displayed, 4-H members lead their animals around the arena as businesses, organizations and individuals bid to purchase the animals.

There were smiles - and some tears - as the 4-H members worked their animals for the last time while auctioneer Kevin Hill interviewed the youths and then led the bidding. The auction featured many returning buyers, as well as some new guests.

The highest beef price went to Jaci Gerhard, who earned $8.50 a pound for her steer. The animal was bought by Pardee Excavating. Gerhard was the reserve champion junior beef showman. Kara Christensen's grand champion market steer went for $7.75 a pound and was the first animal in the arena Sunday morning, purchased by Northwest Pollinators.

The top market pig, raised by Jasmine White, also got the highest price at $14 per pound. The hog was one of six animals purchased by Les Schwab of Ronan and Polson Sunday. Zoey Havens' grand champion goat, weighing in at 103 pounds, went for $20 a pound, bought by Ed Reinhardt and B&B Storage. Montana Livestock Auction purchased Isaiah Silva's grand champion sheep for $12 a pound. The company also was the winner on Rhett Silva's sheep and Makaylyn Reinhardt's hog. The top price for a sheep was $14 a pound by Reinhardt Ranch for John McNamara's blue-ribbon animal.

There were several bidding wars as the animals and 4-H members made their way into the arena. Crosby Goode had three people bidding on his Yorkshire cross pig, which was ultimately purchased for $12.25 a pound by Eagle Bank.

Brianna Horner's grand champion rabbit went for $500, while Mason Holman earned $525 for his reserve champion animal. Hill had a hard time getting Holman to chat with him, but Holman was all smiles by the time Hill sent him around the arena to show off his rabbit.

Hill has volunteered for the sale for 20 years, and said he uses humor as an icebreaker to help relax the kids. He labeled Steve Spurr the "Turkey Wrangler" when Spurr helped bring out Bob and Barney, his daughters' turkeys. Cooper Spurr's grand champion turkey went for $575, and Kendall Spurr's earned $500.

4-H leaders said there were a dozen more animals in the market sale this year, with 20 beef, 30 swine, nine sheep, four goats, three turkeys and two rabbits. There were 39 different buyers in Sunday's auction.

The other turkey in the sale was raised by Aiden Williams, who earned $575. Williams's turkey was bought by Full Quiver Construction, who donated the animal back to raise money for the 4-H Council's scholarship fund. Williams returned to the arena with his turkey after the final swine was sold and the turkey would go on to be sold six more times as community members helped raise $2,000 for scholarships.

Denley Loge of St. Regis and Wade Rehbein of Rehbein Ford in Plains bumped up the price of all beef to $5.25 a pound, swine to $6.25 a pound and sheep to $7.25 a pound, while Dillon Livestock added $100 to all of the grand champion market animals.