Livestock Auction
Youth showcase prized livestock
EL DORADO — Union County agriculture students showcased market value steer, goat, lamb and pigs at the Union County Livestock Sale Friday.
At the sale, about 40 4-H and FFA youth were recognized through the public auction. Prior to the auction, youth tended to their animal projects and perspective buyers’ questions. Supports and youth ate a hamburger lunch provided by First Financial Bank.
State Sen. Bruce Malloch of Magnolia served as the auctioneer while businesses like Lion Oil, Sewell Drilling and Joe’s Tire Company bid on the animals that winners chose to take home.
Preparing for the livestock sale was not easy, but four Junction City High School students are excited to have money to pay for next year’s projects, supplies, entry fees for later contests and even their college education.
Freshman Kameron Nichols showcased a pig for auctioneers at the livestock sale. Nichols will use the money from the auction toward next year’s project.
“I couldn’t go a lot of places because I had to feed it, but it was worth it. It taught me about the animal and responsibility. I guessed it taught me hard work,” Nichols said.
Junction City sophomore Lacey Rowland entered a market lamb,
that was reluctant to strut her stuff around the ring, she said.
“I’m going to put (the money) away for my project next year and for college. I’ll definitely work harder next year to be better,” Rowland said.
Sophomore April Thurmon will use a portion of the proceeds from her market goat to enter into rodeos and fund next year’s project. The future veternarian explains how tough starting an animal project can be.
“A lot of the time it’s stressful when you’re beginning because the animal doesn’t know what you’re doing. When you work with it and get into the groove of it, it starts to add up and it gets easier,” Thurman said.
The size of Ashlyn Hamaker’s market steer and commercial heifer made her preparation for the public auction tough, she said, but the sophomore plans on entering animals in next year’s sale.
“It was really tough. We’ve been through a lot. I’ve been drug a lot of times because they’re way bigger than me. They’re just tougher to deal with,” Hamaker said.
Hamaker’s experience taught her valuable lessons that could be used to tend to her animals and navigate through life.
“It taught me to be humble because a lot of times you’ll get to be too cocky and God will put you right back in your place. (If) you get cocky, think you’re going to win, think you’re going to do good and it knocks you right back and (you) get in second or third,” Hamaker said. “It’s fun. It’s taught me a lot as to deal with people, because I deal with different animals (on) different days and different personalities.”
Any business or individual that would like to support the students who participated in the sale and couldn’t attend are encouraged to call or come by the Union County Extension office at 307 American Road in El Dorado to get more information or make a donation of any size that will be used to support the youth.
Supporters’ names will be submitted to the newspaper and the youth send thank you letters to their supporters at a later date.