Jr. Livestock Auction highlights weekend

One of the main highlights of the Porterville Fair is the Junior Livestock Auction. That will kick off with a commercial bred heifer sale at 9 a.m. today, and then begin with the sale of the market grand champions at 10 a.m. Also to be auctioned this year is the Heritage Animal, which benefits the fair and the exhibitor selected to raise it. This year, Tanner Nuckols showed the Heritage hog.

More than 300 animals are expected to be auctioned today and last year’s sale topped $590,000. Livestock sales committee members hope to top that figure this year.

On Thursday night, the main market grand champions were announced.

Other top winners during judging were Connor Correia of St. Aloysius 4-H with the Dairy Supreme Registered Best of Show; and Allison Tristao of Porterville High School FFA with the Dairy Supreme Grade Best of Show. Levi Davis of Porterville High School FFA showed the Grand Champion Commercial Bred Heifer.

Nisiah Martinez of Prairie Center 4-H showed the grand champion pen of chickens and Lucas Gemmell of Burton 4-H showed the grand champion pen of rabbits. Gemmell also had the Best of Show Rabbit and Jenna Keller of Monache High School FFA had the Best of Show Poultry.

In pygmy goat judging, Carter Lang of Exeter 4-H showed the grand champion doe.

Gates to the fair open at noon today and Sunday.

There will be entertainment

on the Rotary Stage most of the afternoon and at 7:30 p.m. on the BUD Stage Wade Hayes will perform. The Hayes concert is free with paid admission to the fair.

On Saturday and Sunday, Sea Lion Splash, the Live Shark Encounter, Professor Newton’s Super

Science Game Show, the carnival and the petting zoo will all be available to attendees.

Gates will close at 11 p.m. each day.

The City of Porterville transit bus will run from the Transit Center to the Fairgrounds today every hour from noon to 10 p.m.