Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Curry County FFA, 4-H students bring in $301,600.
Cara McWilliams, 14, of Clovis, shows her dairy heifer Snow White who sold for $4,200 during Friday's livestock sale at the Curry County Events Center.
CLOVIS — About 100 area youth left the Curry County Fair on Friday with some extra cash in their bank account following the annual Junior Livestock Sale in which animals raised by 4-H and Future Farmers of America students were auctioned.
Curry County Extension Agent Janelle Duffey said Friday night's sale brought in $301,600, not including add-on dollars from sponsors, falling short of last year's total of $370,000.
That marks the second straight year the total money spent has fallen since bringing in $400,000 in 2016.
Duffey said Skyler Davis of Texico FFA secured the highest sale, with her steer going for $10,000.
While several of the kids were getting their first taste of showing animals on Friday night, Madison Belcher of Texico made her way to the ring for the final time before heading off the following day to Texas Tech University to study animal science, meaning the $2,400 from the sale of her goat named Tater Tot will come in handy.
Madison said she raised Tater Tot since his birth in November.
"We do pretty much the whole process because we raise them but a lot of just training them how to walk and set up and everything so lots of hours in the barn," Madison said.
Her younger brother Truman Belcher, 14, also took part in the sale, bringing in $3,600 for his steer, though he did not have any plans for the money yet.
"I'm probably just going to save it. I really have nothing to buy so I'll save it. There's no point in using it up," Truman said.
He said it took a lot of grain, straw hay, blowing and washing to get his steer ready for the event. Truman said the experience of taking part in the sale is worth the heartache that comes along with saying goodbye to the steer he has raised since January.
"I am going to miss him, but it's kind of cool just to have the experience of having the animal and getting to show them. It's just been a real fun time," Truman said.
Madison understands.
"After so many years I've kind of gotten used to it, but yeah it's always hard to let go," Madison said.
