LAKEPORT, Calif. – With a total of 253 lots, the Lake County Fair Junior Livestock Auction on Saturday afternoon set a new record for total sale proceeds, and has likely set new records in most categories of sales as well, fair officials said.

 

After years of flirting with the barrier of $300,000, the total proceeds finally broke through to a total sale worth $300,660.75.

 

Steers, lambs, hogs, meat goats, turkeys, rabbits and chickens were offered during the auction, with grand champion winners crossing the auction block at the start of the program.

Tom Powers, owner of Lake County Electric Supply in Lakeport, purchased the first lot. The grand champion 4-H market hog was shown and sold by 4-Her Wyatt Smith of Lakeport. The prize pig weighed 260 pounds and sold for $11.50 per pound.

“It's a real indication that the community supports youth programs like 4-H and the Future Farmers of America,” said Fair Chief Executive Office Richard Persons. “Those programs teach kids about agriculture, which is Lake County's largest economic sector, and also about teamwork, sportsmanship, honor, and responsibility.”

Persons added, “We're proud of the community efforts to support these programs. Many of these kids save the money they make for college or other educational efforts, and eventually return to Lake County to become farmers and ranchers, so in the long run the whole community benefits.”

In recent years, the sale has been split into two sales rings which operate at the same time, making for a total sale length of around three and a half hours and providing buyers with plenty of time to visit the rest of the Lake County Fair, Persons reported Saturday.

Persons said other popular activities on Saturday included the racing pigs, the amateur talent competition and the 4x4 truck pulls.

The fair marks its last day on Sunday, with a full day of attractions, including Sunday's main event, the California State Finals of the WGAS Motorsports tuff truck, ATV and buggy races in the main grandstand. In its 12th year, the popular show will start at 7:30 p.m.

 

 

Regular admission prices for the 2011 Lake County Fair are $10 for a regular ticket, $6 for a senior over age 60, and $6 for children ages 6 through 11. Children under 6 years old are admitted free.

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