The 2024 Kiowa County Fair has come to an end. The week of the fair is a busy time for youth involved in 4-H, FFA, and sports. Those involved in livestock find themselves in a whirlwind of washing, feeding, and presenting their livestock to the judges. With lower livestock numbers for 2024 we still saw high quality animals brought to the show and sale. I want to Thank our Judges, Poultry and Rabbits David Crossland, Lamar Community College with Instructor Brian Gauck Ph.D. for bringing a team of students for Round Robin, and Madi Shults from Cheyenne Wyoming to judge the big 4 species, Goat, Swine, Beef, and Sheep. We have received many compliments about the judge’s critique of the livestock and the positive comments to the youth and their projects. 

All the volunteers that come together to make the shows and sale happen. First, Flock Auctions LLC, Charlene Flock, Thank you for donating your time and resources to clerking our sell. Our Auctioneers worked double hard this year as only two were available, Thank you Les Ohlhauser and Todd Natale. Cody Fox for jumping in the ring and helping take bids from the crowd. Thank you to Nancy Walker for your administrative help through the shows and sale. Last, but most importantly the Junior Livestock Committee, Tim Trosper, Rod Cole, Junior McDowell, Mark and Michelle Nelson,  and Nathaniel and Holly Mitchek. You all jump right in and get the kids where they need to be when they need to be there. 

This year the FFA members and Mr. Lenox started up a Pee Wee showmanship show for Goat, Sheep, and Swine. It went well for the first year and we all look forward to it happening every year now. The FFA Members and Mr. Lenox did a great job organizing and helping the young kids’ show. Thank you all for putting this together. 

Poultry ten entries of Market pen of three, and two entries of Breeding roosters.

Selena Fehr, Champion Breeding Rooster. Wesley Fehr, Reserve Champion Rooster. 

Selena Fehr, Grand Champion Market poultry pen of three for $1,500 to Wesken Grain and Colorado Pacific Railroad. Mia Crow Placed Reserve Grand Champion pen of three for $975 from Z bar D Farms.  

Poultry Showmanship Sr Division Selena Fehr Champion, Clayton Nelson Reserve Champion.  Jr Division Jett Deines Champion, Miranda Kepler Reserve Champion.

Rabbit two entries. 

Miranda Keplar Grand Champion Market rabbit $500 from 719 Supply. Rylan Londo pen of three rabbits Reserve Grand Champion, $550 from 719 Supply.  

Rabbit Showmanship Sr. Division Rylan Londo Champion. Jr. Division Miranda Kepler Champion 

Market Goat Division thirty-two entries, Breeding Goat two entries.   

Haliee Trosper, Champion Breeding Billy, Rylan Londo Reserve Champion Breeding Nanny. 

Jett Deines, Grand Champion Market Goat, $1,000 + floor plan = $1,242.55 bought by 4C Manure Spreading, Gaige Rittgers Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat, $1,850 from Scherler Sales, Floor plan 203.35, total $2,053.35. Paitin Jones, Average Daily Gain Champion, .58 lbs. per day, $900 from Colorado Farm Bureau and GN Bank, Floor plan $259.70, Total $1,195.70. Alyxx Egley, Average Daily Gain Reserve Champion, $750 from Richards Well Calibration, Floor Plan $181.30, Total $931.30.

Goat Showmanship, Sr. Division, Champion, Gaige Rittgers. Reserve Champion, Alessandra Paez. Int. Division, Champion, Tinley Lawrence, Reserve Champion, Aubrey Mitchek. Jr Division, McKinzie Jones, Champion, Connie Gregory, Reserve Champion.

Market Swine sixteen entries. 

Macey Trosper, Grand Champion Market Swine, $2,400 from La Junta Mill & Elevator, floor plan $409.50, Total $2809.5. Kara Wilson, Reserve Grand Champion, $1,400 from Saffer Spray Service, floor plan $441, Total $1,841. Aspen Nelson, Average Daily Gain Champion 2.04 lbs. per day, $2,100 from Weber Water Service, floor plan $396, Total $2,496. Aspen Nelson, Average Daily Gain Reserve Champion, Take Home. 

Swine Showmanship, Sr. Division, Champion, Kara Wilson, Reserve Champion, Case Nelson. Int. Division, Champion, Braxtyn Ferris. Jr. Division, Macey Trosper, Champion, Zoey Trosper, Reserve Champion. 

Market Beef three entries. 

Weston Mitchek, Grand Champion Market Beef, $3,100 from Colorado Mills and GN Bank, floor plan $3240.70, Total $6,540.70. Stockton Mitchek, Reserve Grand Champion and Average Daily Gain Champion 3.96 lbs. per day, $5476.10 from Eads Consumer Supply. Aubrey Mitchek, Average Daily Gain Reserve Champion, $3,600 from Weskan Grain & Colorado Pacific Railroad, floor plan $2,640.40, Total $6,240.40. 

Beef Showmanship, Sr. Division, Champion, Weston Mitchek. Int Division, Aubrey Mitchek, Champion.

Market Sheep fifteen entries Breeding Sheep two entries.

Clayton Nelson, Champion Breeding Buck and Reserve Champion Breeding Yearling Ewe.   

Tinley Lawrence, Grand Champion Market Sheep, $900 Ice Box/ Dennis Ferris, floor plan $259.35, Total $1,159.35. Tinley Lawrence, Reserve Grand Champion Market Sheep, floor plan $234.00. Aspen Nelson, Average Daily Gain Champion .69 lbs. per day, $775.00 from GN Bank, floor plan $224.25, Total $999.25. Case Nelson, Average Daily Gain Reserve Champion .65 lbs. per day, $775 from Ellenberger Farms, floor plan $220.35, Total 995.35. 

Sheep Showmanship, Sr. Division. Champion, Alessandra Paez, Reserve Champion, Katherine Trosper. Int. Division, Champion, Tinley Lawrence, Jr. Division, Champion, Macey Trosper. Reserve Champion, Taivyn Kraft.   

Round Robin Winners: Sr. Division, Selena Fehr Champion, Rylan Londo, Reserve Champion. Int Division, Tinley Lawrence, Champion, Braxtyn Ferris, Reserve Champion. Jr. Division, Jett Deines, Champion, Zoey Trosper, Reserve Champion.     

Floor Plan Buyers Beef: Brandon Ferris, $2.30 per lbs. Sheep: Bob Griffin $1.95 Goat: Ellenberger Farms $2.45 Swine: Jimmy Brown $1.50

Beef add on: $100 per head Colorado Mills, Foam Insulation 4 U, Tri County Farms, and Rodney & Dana Brown. $200 per head Granda Feeders. $500 per head La Junta Livestock. $700 per head Farm Credit.

Sheep, Goat, and Swine add on $50 per head Colorado Mills

Selena Fehr, Donation Rooster 4-H Concession Stand Equipment, $700 from Saffer Spray Service.

Connie Gregory Goat sale and added Donation to Allen Watts cancer fund. There was very Generous donations made to Allen by many donors: Chad Rouse Farms, Foam Insulation 4U, Tri County Farms, Butch & Brenda Robertson, Mike & Deb Lening, 719 Supply, Saffer Spray Service, Weber Water Service, Roger & Loraine Saffer, Farm Credit, Eads Auto Supply and Hardware, Scoular Grain, Jay & Sharon Wilson, Holly & Nathaniel Mitchek, Temple Grain, La Junta Mill & Elevator, Richard’s Well Service, Rod & Pam Cole, Hallie Barlow, Trent & Melissa Jones, Jack & Konda Howard, and Phyllis & DJ Nelson. Thank you to all the Donors! 

Total livestock premium sales and add on $74,275, Total floor plan sales: $19,328.65, Total livestock sales: $93,603.65