Washington County Fair auction in Fayetteville raises money for kids' for hard work Thursday

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, during the Junior Livestock Premium Auction in the livestock arena at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Fayetteville. Businesses and individuals who support agriculture in the county bid on the animals, but not to keep. The bids work as donations to cover expenses for the students to continue their work and efforts to show their livestock.
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, during the Junior Livestock Premium Auction in the livestock arena at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Fayetteville. Businesses and individuals who support agriculture in the county bid on the animals, but not to keep. The bids work as donations to cover expenses for the students to continue their work and efforts to show their livestock.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The regular dairy heifer swished a tail decorated with a red, mesh ribbon. Chloe Hillian, 12, also put glitter on her cow, Kaytlen, and used a halter with small rhinestones.

"I enjoy being with my cows," Chloe said.

Washington County Fair schedule

Today

• 10 a.m.: Gates Open, Open Beef Show, Livestock Arena

• 5 p.m.: Midway Opens; All Junior Exhibitors Award Picnic, Livestock Arena; Petting Zoo; Hambone Express Pig Races

• 6-9 p.m.: Fun on the Farm Exhibit, Thompson Hall

• 6:30 p.m.: Ladies and Gents Lead, Sheep Barn

• 7 p.m.: Livestock Beauty Pageant, Livestock Arena

• 7-9 p.m.: 4-Wheeler Rodeo, Rodeo Arena

• 8 p.m.: Washington County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Demonstration, Livestock Arena

• 10 p.m.-1:30 am: Midnight Madness, Midway

Saturday

• 9 a.m.: Gates Open; Youth Dog Show, Livestock Arena; Horseshoe Pitching Contest, Rodeo Arena

• 10 a.m.: Pen of Champions pictures, Livestock Arena

• 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Dutch Oven Cook-Off, Front Gate

• 11 a.m.: Adult Sheep Showmanship, Livestock Arena

• Noon: Midway opens

• 2 p.m.: Farmhand Olympics, Livestock Arena

• Noon to Close: Free Petting Zoo

• 7 p.m.: LJ Jenkins Bull Riding, Rodeo Arena

• 10 p.m.-midnight: Sizzling Saturday, Midway

• 8-10 p.m.: Release Exhibits

Sunday

• 2-4 p.m.: Thompson Hall/Cultural Arts/Horticulture Hall released

Source: Staff report

Chloe and her cow were among 131 youths, ages 5 and older, and their animals to spend Thursday at the Junior Livestock Premium Auction at the Washington County Fair. Only the "cream of the crop" champions and reserve champions can be in the auction, said Cheryl West, fair board treasurer.

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The annual event is for youths in 4-H or FFA who raised premium livestock and lets businesses and family members bid on livestock to pay the children. The youths can keep the money and the animal.

"This sale is important because the kids get rewarded," West said.

The money pays for college, new animals or reimbursement for what was spent on the animals. It gives the children an incentive, said Darrell Tunstill, fair board vice president.

"Any time you keep kids busy, you keep them out of trouble," he said.

Chloe picked Kaytlen to show because she's easy going, Chloe said. Kaytlen was born and raised on the family farm in Fayetteville. Even so, the arena was full of people shouting bids, laughing and clapping. Other animals tussled and bayed. Kaytlen pranced nervously in the auction ring.

Last year, about $187,000 was donated to the children participating in the auction, West said. This year is expected to draw more people and more money, but final numbers weren't available Thursday night.

Chloe earned $800 for her cow, but showing at the auction isn't only about money, said Melinda Hillian, Chloe's mother.

"I think it teaches our kids hard work, dedication -- the whole work ethics in itself," Hillian said.

Showing has helped Chloe overcome her shyness, Hillian said. When Chloe started showing seven years ago, she couldn't speak to answer the judges' questions. That has changed, Hillian said.

Chloe won junior showman awards for the past two years at the county fair and the Arkansas State Fair. On Thursday, she wore her prized 2016 belt buckle she won for her work.

The auctions are also a way for families to spend time together, youths said.

Thirteen-year-old Tabor Lewis said she likes raising market lambs to spend time with her family. Tabor, her brother Colton Workman, 7, and sister Kayden Loftin, 10, all of Lincoln, were set to show their champion lambs, each with different names.

"His ears are like a rabbit, so I called him 'Hopper,'" Kayden said about her lamb.

Outside of the auction house, Channing Ashworth, 9, of Prairie Grove, finished walking her rooster, George, on a pink leash in front bidders. She taught George to walk on the leash the same day as the auction, she said.

"He was just strutting his stuff," Channing said.

The rooster brought Channing $800, some of which she plans to put into savings, "obviously," she said. "I save money a lot," she said.

Like George, Kaytlen will be kept until next year, Chloe and Channing said, but, not all the show animals are kept by their owners. After showing their lambs at a couple more fairs this year, they will be sold, Tabor and Kayden said. Even so, all the work to raise the lambs and then letting go is worth it, Tabor said.

"It's just a really good experience to be in agriculture," she said. "My family has grown up with it."

NW News on 09/01/2017

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