Donated Hog Fetches $11,251 for CHS FFA Chapter

The hog was donated by a youth producer from Hood River, Nata-sha Muenzer. She donated the hog so the White Salmon FFA could sell him as a fundraiser.

Chandlor Bucklin, chapter vice-president, has exhibited the chapter hogs for the last two years. He donates his time and energy to the FFA Chapter to assist his fellow members with this great opportunity, said Emily Gehring, director of Agricultural Education at Columbia High.

This year, when the CHS junior exhibited the hog, with his chapter members standing behind him in support, the hog fetched a bid of $11,251.

"I'm so, so appreciative of the community. I don't know what else to say," Market Livestock Sale Coordinator Helen Rolfe told Jaryd Cline of The Goldendale Sentinel. "The kids would never be able to do this without family and community support."

Two of the big sales that Rolfe was extremely excited about were the sale of Lydia Hanning's 1,284- pound grand champion steer and the White Salmon Valley FFA Chapter's pig.

Hanning's champion steer sold for $4 a pound to Chad and Denise Ross, who sent it to be custom slaughtered and donated back to New Hope Farms, of Goldendale.

The hog took multiple donations and raised $11,225 for the chapter.

"It was phenomenal. It made my feet not hurt as bad," Rolfe said with a laugh. "Those two sales were pretty emotional for me."

The Klickitat County Fair Market Livestock Sale is attended by local businesses, producers and youth supporters. Many of those supporters grouped together and bought the hog multiple times while turning around and donating it back to be sold again.

The auctioneer also opened up the floor for donations.

All proceeds from the sale of the chapter hog will go directly to the development of animal facilities at Columbia High School.

White Salmon FFA is looking forward to building a livestock pavilion that will house pigs, sheep, and goats for local FFA members attending the Klickitat County Fair in the future.

The White Salmon Valley FFA would like to extend a huge thank you to the supporters of the Market Livestock Sale at the Klickitat County Fair, Gehring said.

She noted that, annually, hundreds of individuals, families, and businesses support Klickitat County’s youth producers at this sale.

“The support of our community is extremely important to the success of the sale. Thank you to all the Klickitat County Fair Market Livestock Sale supporters,” said Gehring.

Along with Hanning's grand champion steer, there were six others who showed grand champion animals, according to the Sentinel.

● Delaney Peters showed her grand champion goat, a 95 pound animal that sold for $5.75 a pound to the Mid-Columbia Vet Clinic. It was one of 20 goats shown on the afternoon.

● Amber Read had the champion rabbit, which sold for $375 to Bandit Glass, of The Dalles. Amber and Dalton Read showed the only two rabbits on Saturday.

● Kimberly Wascher showed two chickens, the grand and reserve champion, with her grand selling for $450 to Sunrise Coffee. Ana, Serphina, and Blaise Clark were the three others who showed chickens.

● Quinn Perry showed the only two turkeys on Saturday, with his grand champion selling for $400 to Bandit Glass.

● Maggie Gutierrez showed the grand champion lamb, which was one of 24 lambs shown. Her lamb sold for $7.75 a pound to Rimrock Ranch.

● Mason Strieck had the grand champion in the swine group, a 294-pound hog that sold for $6.70 a pound to Wilson Trucking and Double W Orchards, both of Glenwood.

The year-long commitment the kids make to tend and care for the animals goes a long way in helping them build for the future, Rolfe told the Sentinel.

"We're teaching these kids life skills and to be responsible as far as taking care of the animals and learning financial help," Rolfe said. "The community helps and many of the kids use the money for college. There's so many things in the camaraderie of all the kids in the county getting together all week."

She added, “We all get together and catch up. It's just wonderful. Definitely a family thing."