A brother and sister had the top two steers during the annual 4-H livestock sale at the Carbon County Fair on Saturday.

Cameron Gowin, 12, of Lehighton, emerged with the grand champion. His sister, Amanda, 18, who had the grand champion last year, showed the reserve champion this year.

Amanda, who is in her final year of 4-H, wasn’t upset that her brother won the top award. In fact, it was probably some of her experience she shared with Cameron from her decade-long membership in 4-H that helped him to excel.

“It didn’t really bother me,” said Amanda. “We all work together to train them and get them halter broken.”

This is Cameron’s first year showing a steer. The brown, 1,330-pound, brown beast was as tall as the youth. It was also very stubborn. Cameron walked around the show ring with the steer but at times it stopped short and refused to budge. Although the steer weighs over 10 times what Cameron does, the youngster wasn’t intimidated. He stood in front of the behemoth, dug in his heels, pulled on the rein and got it walking again.

Cameron’s steer was purchased by Windy Hollow Farms of Tamaqua at a bid price of $6,000.

Amanda’s reserve champion, which weighed 1,100 pounds, was sold to Blue Mountain Insulators for the bid price of $4,100.

Eight types of animals are sold during the auction, which is an annual event at the fair. The auctioneer was Nathan Houser of Houser Auctioneers. The family has volunteered as the auctioneer for the 4-H event for well over 50 years; back to when the former Carbon County Fair was held in Lehighton.

There was just one repeat grand champion from last year’s auction.

Morgan Myers, also graduating from the 4-H program this year, had both the grand champion and reserve champion dairy beef. This was at least the third year in a row Myers won the dairy beef event.

In 2024, Myers had both the grand champion dairy beef and grand champion steer.

Her dairy cow was purchased by J B M Mechanical of Nazareth for $1,812.

Ten-year-old Cadence Graver raised the grand champion swine. A fifth-generation 4-H member, it’s the second blue ribbon she’s won in the division, having the grand champion in 2025.

Last year’s grand champion swine was raised by Mia Graver, who had the reserve champion this year.

Cadence’s swine was purchased by F M Brown & Sons, an animal feed supplier, for $2,300.

Lyma Dunbar, 18, had the grand champion lamb. A year ago, she finished runner-up to Cadence Graver. This year Cadence had the reserve champion.

For the 4-H members, it is understood that the animals are raised and groomed for the annual livestock sale but separation with them still often brings tears.

15-year-old Kambrya Koplin of Mahoning Township is in her first year of 4-H and showed a steer. Although the animal didn’t garner a championship, it didn’t make selling it any easier.

She cried, cupped the face of her black steer in her hands, kissed it on the forehead and waited with it a few minutes. Fortunately for her, there’s a buy-back program in which the purchaser can keep the animal they purchase or sell it for market price. The seller opted for the buy-back program, and Koplin’s father purchased it.

“I was sad (when I sold it), but I’m happy he’s coming back,” she said. “It’s hard to raise an animal like that. You get attached.”

She said she shared a banana with the animal every morning.

This was her only entry in the auction. “It’s my first year and I did the hardest animal,” she said, adding, “and I became secretary (of the 4-H Livestock Club) at the first meeting.”

She admitted raising 4-H projects is different than raising other livestock because you’re grooming them for competition.

Three individuals were recognized for their final year in the program. They were Myers, Gowin and Lyma Dunbar.

Gowin and Myers were both recipients of the seventh annual Floyd and Jane Smith Memorial Scholarship. Gowin will be attending the New York Culinary Institute. Myers will be furthering her education at Northampton County Community College.

Koplin was the recipient of the Bob Dunn Excellence Award, given to a first year 4-H member.

Besides farm animal sold, auctioned was a “2025 Carbon County Fair Summer Fun Quilt Block.” The quilt was displayed by Fair Queen Lea Yemm and alternate Daphne Gowin.

Duane Miller was the announcer.

The auction was held on the last day of the week-long Carbon County Fair.