In one of the culminating events of the 2022 Grant County Fair, the annual Youth Livestock Auction took in nearly half a million dollars on Saturday, Aug. 13.

An estimated 200 people gathered in the Heritage Barn of the Grant County Fairgrounds as over 100 4-H and FFA students — ranging from 10 to 19 years old — auctioned off livestock that they had fed, groomed and worked with daily for the last year.

The animals up for bid included turkeys, chickens, goats, sheep, pigs and steers.

Grant County is an ag-based community with a years-long tradition of local 4-H and FFA students who raise livestock to sell at the annual auction, not only to earn money but in hopes of winning a grand or reserve champion award. The Youth Livestock Auction is one of the biggest events of the year in Grant County and always seems to bring people together like no other.

Shannon Springer, Grant County Auction Committee treasurer, said sales were down about $5,000 from last year. Nonetheless, this year’s auction was still up substantially from the five years before that.

While she didn’t have the exact number of animals sold this year, Springer said the auction raked in $499,476.75.

Here’s how that compares with prior years:

• 2016: 106 animals, $170,010.30

• 2017: 122, $198,895.56

• 2018: 115, $220,204.40

• 2019: 118, $277,564.50

• 2020: 114, $302,623.50

• 2021: 126, $505,545.00

One reason last year’s auction brought in more money, Springer said, likely had to do with the extraordinary support shown to Tate Waddel, who donated the proceeds of his market steer from the Youth Livestock Auction to Blue Mountain Hospital’s Rehabilitation Services Department.

Waddel was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and requires regular physical therapy. His parents, Wade and Simmie Waddel, said because of the local hospital’s growing rehabilitation facility and the pediatrics experience of its physical therapists, they no longer have to make trips to Bend every two weeks for their son’s care.

The idea, Simmie said, was to pay it forward by donating the proceeds of the sale of Tate’s market steer. The community responded enthusiastically and the steer netted over $30,000 at auction, with the winning bid coming from John Day-based logging company Iron Triangle.

This year, Tate donated the nearly $13,000 brought in by his steer — donated by the Loop Ranch — to the John Day nonprofit grief center, Thadd’s Place.

Springer, who has been the committee’s treasurer for just under a decade, said the turnout for this year’s auction was “mind-boggling,” as is the generosity of those who show up to support the kids each year.

This year’s Delly Officer Memorial Award went to Carson Weaver. The award is given each year to a 4-H or FFA student who displays outstanding courtesy and sportsmanship.

Scott Officer, who presented the award, said the nominees are interviewed by a panel of judges and the winner is presented with a pocket knife and a trophy that carries a hunter safety message.

Officer said the award is in memory of his “brother and best friend” Delly, who was accidentally shot by a hunter in 1984.

MARKET STEER

Raney Anderson, Izee Livestock, grand champion 

Weston Suchorski, Grant Union High School FFA, reserve grand champion

Wyatt Suchorski, Grant Union High School FFA, lightweight champion.

Brett Burill, Prairie City CC, reserve champion, heavyweight

Reece Jacobs, Prairie City CC, reserve champion, middleweight

Monel Anderson, Izee Livestock, reserve champion, light weight

Kingdon Kirby, Grant Union FFA, blue ribbon

Bridger Walker, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon

Jaycee Winegar, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Sage Browning, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon 

Gus McDaniel, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Macy Carter, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon

Keira Stiner, Grant Union FFA, blue ribbon

Evangeline Shultz, North Fork CC, blue ribbon

Carson Weaver, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon

Beau VanCleave, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Talon VanCleave, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Preston Boethin, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon

Sierra May, Dayville FFA, blue ribbon

Everett Vardanega, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Bethany Wilburn, North Fork CC, blue ribbon

Tate Waddel, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon

Jerett Waddel, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon

Riggin Dowdy, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon

Colton Lindsay, Strawberry Riders, blue ribbon 

Nick Stiner, Strawberry Riders, blue ribbon

Wyatt Lemons, Grant Union FFA, blue ribbon

Hayden Spencer, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon

Audrey Walker, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon

Cooper Ross, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon

Aubreianna Osborne, North Fork CC, blue ribbon

Gracey Kenyon, Grant Union FFA, blue ribbon

Jacey Mickey, Grant Union FFA, red ribbon

Emma Field, Prairie City CC, red ribbon

MARKET SHEEP

Preston Fretwell, Dayville 4-H CC, grand champion

Anna Blood, Strawberry Riders, reserve grand champion

Naomi Blood, Strawberry Riders, champion, middleweight

Savannah Watterson, Juniper Ridge, reserve grand champion

Alana Shaffer, Strawberry Riders, reserve champion, middleweight

Kaila Shaffer, Strawberry Riders, reserve champion, lightweight

Lillyian Huerta, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon

Adalyn Judd, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Kellen Fretwell, Dayville 4-H CC, blue ribbon

Summer Berry, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Adeline Northway, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon

Jillie Thunell, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Aleelah Viema, Strawberry Riders, blue ribbon

Sophia McKinley, Strawberry Riders, blue ribbon

Madilynne Cearns, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon

Aubriella Judd, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Zoey Beam, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon

Liberty Woehlert, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Hannah McKinley, Strawberry Riders, blue ribbon

Aaliyah Judd, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Bronsin Titus, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Paizley Harmon, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon

Abbie Justice, Strawberry Riders, blue ribbon 

Laynie Harmon, Prairie City CC, red ribbon

Trevor Sasser, Juniper Ridge, red ribbon

GOATS

Bryant Barker, Strawberry Riders, grand champion

Morgan Molyneux, Canyon Creek CC, reserve grand champion

Elliott Andrew, Strawberry Riders, champion, lightweight

Aiden Andrew, Strawberry Riders, reserve champion, lightweight

Sierra Jenks, North Fork CC, blue ribbon

Emmalyn Northway, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon

Dawson Jenkins, North Fork CC, blue ribbon

MARKET SWINE

Brynlie Koppel, Grant Union FFA, grand champion

Brooke Taynton, Canyon Creek CC, reserve grand champion

Kara Hansen, Dayville 4-H CC, champion, heavyweight

Lilly Rockhill, Prairie City FFA, reserve champion, heavyweight

Kanin Koppel, Izee Livestock, reserve champion, middleweight

Owen Parsons, Beaver Believers, reserve champion, lightweight

Taylor Parsons, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon

Jenna Chappel, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon

Sarah Clark, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Gracee Hueckman, Luce Creek Livestock, blue ribbon

Trey Brown, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Tatyn Harper, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Paige Weaver, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon

Garrett Ashley, Grant Union FFA, blue ribbon

John Starbuck, North Fork CC, blue ribbon

Karley Chappel, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon 

Fletcher Grove, Luce Creek Livestock, blue ribbon

Madison Whitmore, Dayville FFA, blue ribbon

Paislee Hueckman, Luce Creek Livestock, blue ribbon

Colton Lyman, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon

Eric Culley, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon

Addison Wilson, Dayville 4-H CC, blue ribbon

Taylor Hamilton, North Fork CC, blue ribbon

Boydon Weaver, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon

Cowen Weaver, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon

Bristol Bailey, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Erik Teel, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon

Jaxyn Huerta, Moon Mountain Livestock, blue ribbon

Brooklyn Kimball, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon

Cayden Howard, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Laken McKay, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Sivanna Hodge, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Noah Spencer, Luce Creek Livestock, blue ribbon

Skylar McKay, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Fallan Giffin, Luce Creek Livestock, blue ribbon

Parker Grassl, North Fork CC, blue ribbon

Zoey Rookstool, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon

Hunter Thomas, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon

Allyson Moore, Izee Livestock, blue ribbon

Ava Gerry, Juniper Ridge, blue ribbon

Mayley Saul, Luce Creek Livestock, blue ribbon

George Ashley, Grant Union FFA, blue ribbon

Mahayla Moss, Strawberry Riders, blue ribbon

Wes Voigt, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Halle Parsons, Beaver Believers, blue ribbon

Brooke Teel, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Ava Brown, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Zinny Locke, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Jacob DeHart, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon

Elias Starbuck, North Fork CC, blue ribbon 

Colbie Howard, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Lane Bailey, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon

Brooklyn Grassl, North Fork CC, blue ribbon 

Lane Clark, Prairie City FFA, blue ribbon

Ryan Coalwell, Canyon Creek CC, blue ribbon

Haven Giffin, Luce Creek Livestock, blue ribbon

Madalynn Grassl, North Fork CC, red ribbon 

Kaitlin DeHart, Prairie City CC, red ribbon

Evan Chappel, Juniper Ridge, red ribbon

Nolan Mobley, Canyon Creek CC, red ribbon

MARKET TURKEY

Sydnie Brandon, Strawberry Riders, grand champion

Danner May, Strawberry Riders, reserve grand champion

Nevin Thomas, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon

Brogan Cearns, Prairie City CC, blue ribbon

MARKET CHICKEN

Morganne Wyllie, Strawberry Riders, champion