ENTERPRISE — Bids totaling a record-breaking $360,345 were received at the Wallowa County Fair Fat Stock Sale that closed the nine-day event Saturday, Aug. 14, the culmination of a year’s worth of efforts by 4-H and FFA kids.

Wallowa County Commissioner Todd Nash, the commissioner who serves as the liaison with the Fair Board, said the commissioners usually budget for about $275,000 and this year’s take far exceeded expectations.

“It was incredible the amount of money and amount of support that went through there,” Nash said Monday looking back at the fair.

Nash said he was aware of one year that topped $300,000, but never as high as this year.

Debi Warnock, the Oregon State University Extension agent in charge of 4-H, said the past two years garnered $230,000 and $263,000 respectively. Of course, last year’s was a low mark largely because of the coronavirus pandemic that limited the fair to just the one-day livestock sale.

“Animals are worth a lot more all over the state,” she said. “Sales are well supported by their communities.”

Fair Board Secretary had one word for the success of the fair: “Amazing.”

Fair Board Chairwoman Brinda Stanley went into a little more depth.

“I think the fair was a great success,” she said. “I think families had a great time. … and the kids were a success at their projects. … I think we achieved all that.”

Auction — beef

Joseph Birkmaier, the son of Tom and Kelly Birkmaier of Enterprise, had the highest-selling animal of any species with the Angus cross steer he raised as his first 4-H project. The animal was purchased for $4,600 by Caleb Howard of Cool Springs Ranch.

But being his first project, it took an emotional toll on Joseph as he bid a tearful farewell to his steer, which he had named Moe and formed quite an attachment to.

But Joseph recognized slaughter was the ultimate destiny of all market animals and choked back the tears as he accepted it. As he thought about the price he got, his demeanor changed.

“I’m really happy. I’m really surprised. I didn’t think I’d get that much,” he said. “I’m going to save it for my future, for college.”

He said he has a little less than $2,000 to pay in costs he incurred raising Moe, but he’s not worried. In fact, his mom further brightened his spirits recalling Joseph’s daily work with Moe.

“Every day, when (Joseph) would call him in from the pasture for feeding, he’d holler, ‘Mo—ee, Shmo—ee. Would you happen to want some grain—ee. Cuz if you did, I happen to know where you could get some.’ Every morning and every afternoon I’d hear that,” Kelly Birkmaier said.

Joseph even had advice for other kids and encouraged them to raise a market animal for the fair.

“It’s a great way to get to know animals and it will really benefit their future,” he said. “They can save (the money) for college and they can use the experience.”

Katie Hoffman, of the Joseph Charter School FFA, had the grand champion FFA market steer, and sold it for $3,100 to Chris Cunningham of Rock ‘n’ J Ranch.

But although this is by far from her first year, she, too, was choked up at the sale of her yellow Angus cross steer. Katie declined to comment.

Auction — sheep

Kane Johnson’s grand champion FFA market lamb sold for $1,300 to Marvin Gibbs, a buyer for Chrisman Development. He was pleased with the price he got for his efforts with the lamb.

“I think it’s really generous,” Kane said.

Now in his third year of FFA, Kane did 4-H before it. He’ll be a sophomore at Joseph Charter School in the fall, where he also plays football, basketball and runs track.

The son of Eric and Sarah Johnson, he said that after he pays off the debts that he owes raising the lamb, he’s going to put the rest in the bank as he saves up for a pickup. He hopes to go to college for agricultural engineering.

Tripp Stewart, of Heppner, sold his 4-H grand champion market lamb for $1,250 to Knapp Law Office. While he goes to school in Heppner, he spends summers — and the bulk of his 4-H time — on the Wallowa County ranch of his grandparents, Skye and Penny Krebs. His parents are Jason Stewart and Sybil Krebs.

Tripp, who will be in the seventh grade, has been in 4-H for four years. He was pleased with the price he got.

“I really like it. It was a pretty good price,” he said. “I’ll put most of it in college, but I’ll keep a couple hundred in my pocket for my dirt bike. … I’ve got to have some fun out of it.”

He hopes to one day work on his grandparents’ ranch.

The highest-selling market lamb was Aubrina Melville’s FFA project that sold for $1,350 to Les Schwab.

Auction — swine

Wade Williams, the son of Jared and Mishelle Williams, of Joseph, sold his grand champion 4-H market hog to Viridian Management for $3,300.

Wade, just in his second year of 4-H, was another youngster who had developed an emotional tie to his market animal, saying he’d become friends with “Spot” and would miss her. He said he doesn’t think it’ll be so emotionally tough the next time. He also hasn’t yet decided he’ll do with the proceeds of the sale other than paying debts incurred from cost of raising Spot.

Landon Greenshields, son of Randy and Jeni Greenshields, sold his grand champion market swine for $2,900 to Valley Meat Service. But he said the price could’ve been better.

“I liked the price; it’s not quite what I was expecting, but it’ll do,” he said. “I was thinking to get at least three grand.”

He said he’ll save the bulk of it for college after he pays his debts for pig feed.

The top-selling market swine was James Royes’ 4-H hog that sold for $3,800 to Pam Royes.

Auction — others

Other top sellers at the auction included:

• Elijah Parker’s FFA Grand champion market goat that sold for $650 by to Tyler Schaffeld, DMD.

• Autumn Diggins’ 4-H grand champion market goat that sold for $750 to Barreto Manufacturing.

• Jaeden Cudmore’s highest-selling 4-H goat went for $1,350 to the Idaho Forest Group.

• Gabriel Neveau’s grand champion 4-H market turkey that sold for $700 by to Joe and Shari Warnock.

• Carter Schnetzky’s pen of three 4-H champion market chickens that sold for $550 to Wallowa County Employees.

Plenty of thanks to go around

In opening the auction, Nash had a long list of people and businesses to thank for making the fair possible. Among those were Community Bank; which floated a zero-interest loan to facilitate paying the livestock sellers quickly; Craig and Candi Willis from Farm Supply, who donate shipping the livestock to Pasco, Washington, and their truck driver Tony Yost; Intermountain Livestock and Dennis Arnzen floor the livestock; Anderson Land and Livestock who gives $50 for each steer; Oregon State University Extension, which oversees the 4-H program; the FFA advisers in each Wallowa County school; Wallowa Memorial Hospital, which donated up to $200,000 to help get a new furnace and generator at the Cloverleaf Hall, which the hospital used for an overflow space during the coronavirus pandemic; the city of Enterprise, which donated $5,000 from its transient lodging tax; an anonymous donor who gave $14,000 for a new sound system; and others.

There also were the individuals Nash mentioned, such as Fair Board Secretary Tera Elliott, who will leave the post after five years for another job with the county, and the Fair Board, headed by Chairwoman Stanley.

“You guys go above and beyond,” Nash said. “The community has no idea how much effort you put into this and it’s very much appreciated.”

The commissioner also noted the fair is on the receiving end of $270,000 in video lottery funds from the state and $500,000 in federal American Rescue Plan funds state Rep. Bobby Levy channeled to the fair.

“That will be a big shot in the arm,” Nash said.

All in all, he said, the fair is a great demonstration of how the Wallowa County community comes together.

“I thought it was fantastic. I love our fair. I love the fact that it’s community based and that it supports our young people,” he said. “I love the fact that it shows the resiliency of our ag community, that urban kids can house livestock other places and still participate. It’s the very best of our community and what it can be.”

The full list of award winners from the various categories at the Wallowa County Fair will be published next Wednesday, Aug. 25.