Eager buyers packed the stands and lined the ring at the annual 4-H Livestock Sale at the Carbon County Fair on Saturday, looking to secure some top-quality animals from hard-working young exhibitors.

“The kids are excited, a bit anxious. Their animals are going up for sale. They’ve put a lot of time and money into these animals, and hopefully they’ll get a nice profit out of their projects,” said Georgia Farrow, the 4-H program assistant for Carbon County, as buyers registered and enjoyed a luncheon before the auction.Following the meal, everyone headed over to the ring, where the auction kicked off with the sale of Grand Champion and Reserve Champion livestock.Ryanne Hoffman’s 1,406-pound steer was first on the block, with a winning bid of $4,300 from Gap View Farm.“Today was a very good day, I felt good about him,” Hoffman, 16, said. “He sold for over $4,000, so I was pretty happy with it, considering all of the work and time I’ve put into him. I feel like I’m getting something out of it.”The buyer, Hoffman’s grandfather, Clark Shoenberger, had the option to pay full price and take the animal home or participate in the “buyback program” where the buyer chooses not to take the animal and pays the difference between the market value and the final bid.Shoenberger was exceptionally proud of the fourth-generation farmer’s work with the steer. Shoenberger said that the lessons Hoffman learned through 4-H will prove valuable in her prospective career.“She wants to breed registered Angus stock, and she’s headed in that way. She’s getting a lot of experience in showing and fitting, and that’s a big part of selling registered cattle. They have to be cleaned up and presentable in order to be marketed as registered stock,” he said.Farrow offered a similar opinion, emphasizing that not only does 4-H involvement yield long-term benefits, but more immediate rewards for the young members.“The kids get to raise their animals and sell them. A lot of the kids use this money to further their education, put it toward college funds, things like that. It is very important, and it teaches them responsibility and life skills,” Farrow said.And the 4-H members certainly earn their money, investing plenty of time, energy, and resources to raising their stock. Karissa Costenbader’s Grand Champion goat, which sold at $1,300, required meticulous care to earn her the title and money.“They’re born in November, and you can get them in February. You have to have them by May 1. There’s a certain feed that you feed them. Two weeks before the fair, you have to shave them with a number 10 blade. Then you have to shave them 2 inches above the knee, and then you shave their tail into a paintbrush. Their horns cannot be over 1 inch, or they’ll be disqualified. You have to trim their hooves so they’re not that bad. You also have to train them so they can walk on a halter with their collars,” Costenbader, 16, said.The prize-winning animals are a source of pride, not only for the 4-H members and their families, but the community as a whole. Engineer and Mahoning Township Supervisor Bruce Steigerwalt, who made several purchases throughout the auction, was impressed with the efforts of the young community members.“It’s great,” he said. “We’ve been coming out here for a long time. Some of these people are from Mahoning Township, and that’s important.”Though the Grand and Reserve Champion auction quickly punctuated what amounted to more than a year of hard work in some instances, the 4-H kids are already looking forward to next year. Costenbader mentioned that she is looking into procuring a spotted goat for the next auction, and Hoffman has a new entry waiting at home.“I have two more years in 4-H. I have a show heifer at home. I bred her and she had a calf, so I’m going to show him next year,” she said.With the investments and sacrifices, an outsider may question what drives 4-H members to participate in the club. Costenbader puts it, simply,“I love animals, they’re so much fun.”