Be Part of the 55th Anniversary of the Tioga County 4-H Livestock Auction

On Saturday, Aug. 13, the 4-H portion of the Tioga County Fair will culminate in its 55th Annual 4-H Livestock Auction. Held during the Tioga County Fair every summer since 1967, the time-honored event allows the Tioga County 4-H members a chance to see their hard work pay off.  

4-H youth work all year long to raise their animals before presenting them in shows throughout the Tioga County Fair, and then marketing them to prospective buyers. They see the fruits of their efforts at the auction, where youth sell their animals. 

Christopher Jensen, a former 4-H member, fondly remembers his experience in 4-H programs.  

“My experience with the 4-H was a positive influence, that it instilled the traits of being responsible for the care of a living thing as well as the ability to set a schedule for feeding and care and learning about finances to purchase feed and supplies,” said Jensen, adding, “The auction process teaches you how to learn how to control your animal to present it in a manner that will show the judge its best features, as well as learning social skills by interacting with other presenters and the judges and making a positive influence to those around you.” 

After the auction, the youth receive the earnings from their own animal’s original sale.  The learning experience that these nine to 19-year-olds gain through the livestock auction lasts all year, beginning with choosing their market animals to finally budgeting their earnings after the auction. Many of the 4-H members planned to use their earnings to invest into next year’s auction animal, and to pay for animal feed and other animal care expenses that they incurred throughout the year. 

Jamison Thomson, a current Tioga County 4-H member, feels that the livestock auction and experience in 4-H has taught many valuable lessons. 

“I’ve been involved with 4-H for ten years, and the livestock auction for four years. I’ve absolutely loved raising the livestock and growing them up to get them ready for the market,” said Thomson, adding, “The livestock auction has taught me how to communicate with buyers, promote a product, raise livestock in the most stress-free environment possible, and take accountability for my own actions, all the while making a little money to allow me to do it the next year. I would recommend for youth to do this for those exact reasons.”

The Livestock Auction, which takes place on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m., is open to the public. Community members and potential buyers can attend the fair and meet the 4-H members and their animals prior to the sale. 

As Cathy Robinson, a Tioga County 4-H Club Leader for over 20 years, says, “I loved seeing these little kids with animals and how they learned to nurture them. These kids will go through anything; they sleep on hay bales in the barn. They just want to do what they’re doing and it’s so good for them to interact with the public. The kids truly have their hearts in it.” 

Organizers encourage the community to come out and interact with the 4-H youth, show them support in the hard work they have put in all year, and purchase (in the auction) some quality, locally raised meat. 

4-H is extremely grateful to Goodrich Auction Service, Inc. of Newark Valley, N.Y. for all that they do to support the Tioga County 4-H program and make this livestock auction possible. They encourage the community to come participate in the time-honored tradition of a livestock auction. 

If you would like more information about the livestock auction, you can speak to a 4-H member or reach out to Bobbie Kuhlman, 4-H Youth Development Educator, at bak228@cornell.edu. Through active participation in the 4-H Market Animal Science program, 4-H members learn valuable life skills such as animal care and responsibility, record keeping, presentation, marketing, budgeting, and communication.  

To find out more about the Tioga County 4-H Program, contact the 4-H Office, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Tioga County at (607) 223-2753 or visit tioga.cce.cornell.edu.