The 127th annual Allen County Fair proved one final time how unique this year has been, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual livestock auction wrapped up the 2020 Fair, with only a fraction of the animals — all lambs and goats — available for purchase.
That was because the cattle and hogs that normally would have gone to the highest bidder already had been sold prior to Sunday.
“The kids sold the animals themselves,” Southwind Extension agent Carla Nemecek explained. “Every one of them went to family, friends or neighbors.”
The steers and hogs were in high demand well before Sunday’s sale because the Fair Board had set up appointments with area meat lockers to have the animals processed in short order.
That means the meat would be available without waiting for several months, Nemecek noted.
BUT even though many of the animals weren’t technically sold at Sunday’s auction, the 4-H’ers still brought in plenty of money.
That’s because the Fair’s sale is a premium livestock auction. Premiums are extra funds supporters and buyers tack on to the base price of the animal, to the tune of hundreds or thousands of dollars apiece.
Julianna Sprague, for example, brought in $3,000 in premiums for her grand champion market steer.
In fact, the 21 youngsters who showed cattle brought in a combined $32,150 in premiums, an average of nearly $1,700 per animal.
Showing the hogs also was a lucrative affair for the 16 4-H’ers who did so. They brought in a combined $20,500 in premiums.
As for the animals that sold — the premiums were tacked on to the base bids set by that day’s market price — six lambs went for a combined $7,500 in premiums. Fifteen meat goats were sold, bringing in a combined $13,950 in premiums.
And more money is still to come. Several supporters handed in “add-on” cards to donate to specific 4-H’ers. And the Allen County Fair Boosters organization, which traditionally tacks on money to some bids, will reach out to the Fair Board today to determine how much extra can be given to the youths.
The money going to the youngsters can be used however they wish. Some use it to reinvest in livestock. Others may put it into a nest egg for college or to help with other expenses related to raising animals.
