4-H members see their hard work pay off at auction

Every year the 4-H Livestock judging and auction takes center stage at the Mineral County Fair and this year didn’t disappoint. Members from Superior Rustlers and St. Regis Camo Critters chapters showed pigs, sheep, steers, horses, chickens and bunnies. Twenty-two businesses and individuals supported members at the auction held on Saturday, Aug. 5, including a chicken threesome going for $553 each.

Judging was held on Friday, when members paraded animals around a pen while judges looked at showmanship skills and the animal’s market qualities. 4-H members raised the animals in the spring and summer for the August auction. The experience teaches them livestock evaluation methods, and in judging they learn decision-making and communication skills.

“These youth have spent countless hours on their projects perfecting them for presentation at the fair,” it said in the Mineral County 4-H/FFA Livestock Sale brochure. The importance of this program is that it, “teaches valuable skills such as communication, financial management, and organization. Others will learn responsibility, leadership, and community service. For some, the profits may support their college education.”

Which is what 12-year-old Taylor Haskins said about her Hamshire/Bershire mix pig, Elvis Pigsley. This was her fourth pig and she said the money made from auction would go into her college fund. She also uses some of it to purchase her animal for the next year’s fair. Elvis Pigsley came from a breeder in Anaconda for $120. The swine got her a purple ribbon for showmanship and a blue ribbon for market. She’s a little sad to see Elvis go, but looks forward to the experience again next year.

Other pigs found in the pens at the fair included Ninja Pig, owned by Bailey Milender, which lived up to its name by escaping when being brought into the pen at auction. Eventually, handlers rounded him up and got him sold for $1,980 to Ev Schultz. Jonna Warnken also had a 290-pound “Elvis Pigsle” which won Grand Champion and sold for $11.25 a pound to Shyrock, LLC.

In all there were 14 pigs; two sheep; three steers and for the first time in 10 years, three broiler chickens raised by 21 4-H members. Other pigs included Skittles, Brady, Peanut and Hamlet, a Berkshire/Yorkshire mix, whose pen had a sign that read, “to buy or not to buy,” owned by Emma Hill.

Emma Traeder taught her Landrace/Yorkshire mix, Ophelia, to give kisses, high-fives, and to roll onto her side for belly rubs. Ophelia even gave a kiss to her buyer, New Holland businessman, Wayne Miller. The kiss was a $20 bet made with Auctioneer, Jim Ellis, with the $20 going to Traeder.

There were fewer bidders than last year but the auction was still a big success. Karl Tyler also gave each market member a $150 each and Les Schwab Tire gave each market member $100. Denley Loge gave the Grand Champion steer a $100 and the Reserve Champion steer $50, plus an extra donation which was divided among the other market members. Clark Fork Espresso also donated the use of equipment for Italian Soda sold in the 4-H concessions booth this year, said MSU Extension Agent, Dave Brink.

Another big event at the auction were three broiler chickens named Tom, Dick and Harry. It has been more than 10 years since chickens were a part of the auction and the last time they went for $2,000 and even got a mention on CNN news, said this year’s winning bidder, Marlys Schwaderer with Mineral Pharmacy.

This year the birds went for $1,600 for all three. Schwaderer, who also volunteers for 4-H, said that even though the chickens are only about seven weeks old, members who participate at the auction level have to be involved with the chicken program for two to three years.

Other animals entered for judging were the horses. Ribbons were hung from signs above their pens with information about the horse and its owner. Hannah VanderPloeg, 9, wrote about her horse Candy that she was the best horse in the world and, “I love her soooooo much!”

Lanie Crabb had several purple ribbons for her quarter horse, Pep, with her presentation about horse packing. Suji Bay’s horse Scout had purple, blue and red ribbons and so did Kodi Kelly’s horse, Katy Baby.

The different colored ribbons represent the quality of the presentation with blue meaning above average; red is average; and purple is grand champion. In the barn next to the pens there were cages of chickens and bunnies along with the steers and sheep. The other chickens and bunnies are judged but do not go to auction. Here, Traeder had a black Polish Crested Hen with a white head named, Pluff along with a Red Cornish Hen. She had won several ribbons including Grand and Reserve Champion, two special premium awards, two blue and a purple ribbon. She said this was her first year in 4-H and her mom had raised chickens and pigs in the past.

Auction results

SWINE

Grand Champion: Jonna Warnken, 290 lbs., $11.25 lb. sold to Shyrock, LLC

Reserve Champion: Darby Haskins, 214 lbs., $12.00 lb. sold to Gary Chambers

Purple Ribbon: Heather Haskins, 262 lbs., $10 lb. sold to John Hopkins of Flying H Ranch; Margaret Parkin, 245 lbs., $9 lb., sold to Shyrock, LLC

Blue Ribbon: Decker Milender, 217 lbs., $7.75 lb., sold to Cenex Energy Partners; Carter McLees, 272 lbs., $8.00 lb., sold to TrailWest Bank; Emma Hill, 260 lbs., $6.75 lb., sold to Quartz Warehouse; Bailey Milender, 240 lbs., $8.25 lb., sold to Ev Shultz; Hunter Haskins, 270 lbs., $10.25 lbs., sold to Haskins Excavating and Superior Septic; Taylor Haskins, 284 lbs., $8.50 lbs., sold to Tricon Timber and Big Sky Hotel; Payton Milender, 236 lbs., $7.00 lb., sold to Superior Lumber

Red Ribbon: Baylee Pruitt, 200 lbs., $8.00 lb., sold to Tricon Timber; Emma Traeder, 314 lbs., $8.50 lb., sold to New Holland; John Pruitt, 202 lbs., $6.50 lb., sold to MIH Construction

SHEEP

Grand Champion: Macy Hill, 108 lbs., $10.50 lb., sold to Bagnell Dentistry

Reserve Champion: Kodi Kelly, 145 lbs., $13.50 lb., sold to MIH Construction

STEER

Grand Champion: Danner Haskins, 1,370 lbs., $5.75 lb., sold to Cenex Energy Partners and Big Sky Motel

Reserve Champion: Tucker McLees, 1,392 lbs., $3.75 lb., sold to Haskins Excavating and Superior Septic

Purple Ribbon: Madison Hill, 1,370 lbs., $5.75 lb., sold to Mineral Pharmacy

BROILER CHICKENS

Blue Ribbon: Danielle VanderPloeg, 16, 3 for $1,600, sold to Mineral Pharmacy