Somerset County Fair livestock sales brings in $373,278

Sandra Lepley
·5 min read
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Lydia Sheeler of Somerset sold her reserve grand champion swine for $22 a pound to Krause Service LLC, represented here by Bill and Susan Krause of Somerset, during the junior livestock sale at the Somerset County Fair on Saturday. Also shown are from left: Lydia's brother, Sam Sheeler, and her mother, Julia Sheeler on far right, and Caleb Antram kneeling.

MEYERSDALE ― The annual junior livestock sale at the Somerset County Fair on Saturday brought in $373,278 overall for 342 animals sold by youth who competed at this year's fair.

Steers averaged $3.81 per pound; goats, $6.87 per pound; lambs, $6.51 per pound; pigs averaged $4.84 per pound.

Auctioneers Bill Arnold, Kermit Stahl, Mike Knepper, Nolan Bell and Tell Kincaid volunteered for the sale, which was down in money but up in animals from last year's amount of $380,412 overall for 208 animals. The auctioneers were also honored as the parade marshals for this year's parade on Sunday evening for their volunteering for this all-day event.

John Hemminger, who serves as sales coordinator, said afterward that last year's sale had fewer animals and brought the total amount up overall, but this year's sale had a higher amount of animals. He believes the sale takes many individuals to work together to put together this major event every year. He said from the exhibitors and their families to the buyers to the sale committee, everyone does his or her part in making this sale a success year after year.

Longtime buyers (from left): Dusty Weir, Cindy Weir and John Weir, and Randy Scott in background, take a break from bidding at the Somerset County Fair's Junior Livestock Sale on Saturday. The Weirs and Scott have been a buying team for years at this local sale for Corsa Coal, formerly PBS Coal. John Weir has purchased hundreds of animals for the coal company and donated them all for worthy causes for almost 30 years.

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"This sale continues on through the community because when a business buys an animal and then donates it to a fire department or a charity, for instance, then the fire department's dinner (where the meat is prepared and served) lends itself to more community support when people come out to buy those dinners," said Hemminger. "It's good for the youth and it's good for the community."

The sale scheduled for 10 a.m. started off with the Dairy Basket. Forrester Farm Equipment of Stoystown bought this year's Dairy Basket for $3,700.

Then, there were 32 steers sold for a grand total of $142,298. Lukka Hay of Friedens sold his grand champion steer for $4 a pound to Timz Diesel of Somerset. Fatima Padilla of Somerset sold her reserve champion steer for $7.75 a pound to Van Bremen's Heat and Air LLC of Friedens.

Then, Riley Hay of Berlin sold her champion homegrown steer for $4 a pound to Wheeler Fleet Solutions of Somerset. Riley's brother Trace Hay sold his reserve champion homegrown steer for $3 a pound to White Oak Vet Clinic of Berlin. Bryce Gallentine sold his champion county bred for $3.50 a pound to Andy and Brenda Ansell of Acme. Gabby Hay sold her reserve champion county-bred steer for $4 a pound to county District Attorney Molly Metzgar.

Next up were 23 goats selling for a total $13,193.

Kinley Dull of Friedens sold her grand champion market goat for $20 a pound to Nolan and Julia Bell of Dynamic Auction and Reality. Kinley Dull also won reserve champion goat, selling it for $14 a pound to Ben Flower.

Faith Decker sold her champion homegrown goat for $7 a pound to Super City Manufacturing, while Noah Leyman of Boswell sold his reserve champion homegrown goat for $10 a pound to Laurel Highlands Animal Health. Karaha Snyder of Meyersdale sold her county-bred champion goat for $5 a pound to Bedford Farm Bureau.

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Sophia Zambanini of Somerset sold her grand champion lamb for $25 a pound to B.J. Maurer of Boswell during the livestock sale at the Somerset County Fair on Saturday. She is shown with her mother, Emily Zambanini, and her grandparents, Lisa and Matt Maurer, who own B.J. Maurer.
Sophia Zambanini of Somerset sold her grand champion lamb for $25 a pound to B.J. Maurer of Boswell during the livestock sale at the Somerset County Fair on Saturday. She is shown with her mother, Emily Zambanini, and her grandparents, Lisa and Matt Maurer, who own B.J. Maurer.

After goats, 48 lambs went on the auction block for a total of $39,454. Sophia Zambanini of Somerset sold her grand champion lamb for $25 a pound to B.J. Maurer of Boswell. Laurel Cornell of Berlin sold her reserve champion goat for $10 a pound to Van Bremens. Caleb Antram sold his home grown champion goat for $10.25 a pound to Barbera and Svonavec Law.

Then, 239 pigs came up for sale for a total of $174,633.

Lukka Hay of Friedens sold his grand champion swine for $10 a pound to Corsa Coal of Friedens, while Lydia Sheeler of Somerset sold her reserve champion swine for $22 a pound to Krause Services LLC.

Maddie Engle of Meyersdale sold the champion homegrown pig for $7 a pound to Fisher Construction, while Sami Jo Hayman of Berlin sold her reserve champion homegrown swine for $4.50 a pound to WQZS Radio Roger Wahl. Maliory Visinsky sold her champion county-bred pig for $4 a pound to Harbaugh Cattle Co., while Halee Slingluff sold her reserve county-bred swine for $5 a pound to Esby's Meat Market.

4-H and FFA Scholarship recipients were Adalyn Geary, Trevor Donaldson, Kahara Snyder and Jenny Countryman.

This year's premier buyer was B.J. Maurer Ford of Boswell, followed by Riggs Family Foundation and Van Bremen's Heat and Air. Several area fire halls, churches, food pantries, the scholarship fund, the fair's fund drive for a new show ring and various other nonprofit organizations received donated animals.

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Also longtime buyer John Weir, who purchases and donates animals for Corsa Coal (formerly PBS Coals), was at the sale with his buying team of his son, Dusty Weir, wife Cindy Weir, and friend Randy Scott.

John Weir explained that he has bought and donated hundreds of animals for almost 30 years at the Somerset County Fair and Garrett County, Maryland, Fair as well. He jokes about retiring and that this sale may be his last one but his son Dusty says that he says that every year.

"We do this for the communities where we are located or travel through," Weir said. "Every animal is donated. We have never kept an animal."

A few weeks ago they bought the Grand Champion Swine at the Derry Fair and bought Lukka Hay's Grand Champion Swine here in Somerset County.

"It benefits everyone because the exhibitors and their families work hard to get to this sale and then if we buy their animal, it goes for a good cause and it's all worth it," Weir said.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: County fair livestock sales brings in $373,278