Livestock takes center stage at Delaware State Fair auction

By Konner Metz
Posted 7/29/22

HARRINGTON — More than 160 people registered for the Delaware State Fair’s annual Junior Livestock Auction Thursday night in the Kent Barn, an effort that supports the youth participants …

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already a member? Log in to continue.   Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Livestock takes center stage at Delaware State Fair auction

Posted

HARRINGTON — More than 160 people registered for the Delaware State Fair’s annual Junior Livestock Auction Thursday night in the Kent Barn, an effort that supports the youth participants at the fair’s livestock competitions.

In total, 121 animals were shown and auctioned. They consisted of cows, sheep, goats and pigs selected as the cream of the crop. All animals placed in the top four in their classes during the judging earlier this week at the fairgrounds.

Grand champion and reserve grand champion livestock started the auction, with some animals attracting more than $5,000 from their respective winning bidder. By the end of the night, all the animals were successfully auctioned off.

The Delaware State Fair considers the auction “the culmination of a full year’s hard work and dedication, completing an important early agribusiness education program.”

Buyers included state politicians, businesses and companies, local farms and community members. All buyers were provided with the option to process the animals or donate them back to Delaware 4-H or the Future Farmers of America.

For the children and teenagers bringing their animals into the ring, many will be sending away the animal that won praise and high placement earlier in the week.

Brant Bobola, 6, of Hartly, had a lamb and a pig on the auction list. He stood contently with his lamb, who was first place in the lightweight class, as he waited to bring him into the ring, before eventually being bought for $2,000.

His grandmother, Maria Bobola, said it was Brant’s first time at the auction. His parents, along with Ms. Bobola herself, have a long history of competing in the junior competitions and participating in the auction. She said he was “very excited” when he and his lamb placed first.

Edwina Chen, a rising junior at Appoquininmink High School, was responsible for two lambs at the auction after they placed third and fourth in their classes.

After the auction, she said she feels a level of attachment to them, especially one that has let her give head pats in recent days.

“They’re going to miss me so much,” Chen said jokingly.

Add-on donations were taken online up until midnight Saturday to allow local business leaders and those who were not in-person at the auction to contribute to the youth participants and their work.

Members and subscribers make this story possible.
You can help support non-partisan, community journalism.

x
X