HERMISTON — Hundreds of attendees of all ages and from all corners of the Northwest gathered Saturday, Aug. 14, for the final day of the Umatilla County Fair and its annual Youth Livestock Auction at the Eastern Oregon Trade & Events Center.

Emotions ran high throughout the auction as youths said goodbye to their animals, while adults shouted bids trying to snag the prized animals. For many of the children involved, it was a bittersweet moment. After months of hard work, patience and dedication, it was time to say goodbye to those they’d formed a strong bond and connection with.

“I’m sad but I’m happy that I’ll get more sheep and it’ll happen again,” said Elsie Bowman, a sixth grader from Echo who sold her lamb. “We’ve had struggles and good times.”

After receiving awards earlier in the day, the children and teens spent their day receiving bids on the lambs, goats, steers, rabbits, turkeys and hogs that they have spent the last couple of months raising. Ford Bonney, Nick Nelson and Jack Seavert presided as the auctioneers who whipped the crowd into a buying frenzy and helped the day see the sale of more than 200 livestock.

While most animals had a market value of around $100-200, the steers saw market values ranging from about $1,200 to a whopping $1,810 going to Brielle Youncs of Pendleton, who also happens to be a princess of the 2021 Umatilla County Fair Court.

For many of the youth in attendance, it was their first time raising and auctioning off their livestock. Madeleine White, a member of the Farm City Wranglers from Hermiston, said the fair was a hectic experience for her first time. But she said people were supportive and helped her out.

“I got a lot of support from a lot of different groups,” she said.

Lillian Waldher, an 11-year-old out of Athena who brought her two lambs Daisy and Bo, also had her first experience at the auction and won a ribbon for showmanship.

“I did a lot of work,” she said, adding she practiced with Bo a lot and worked on his leg hair and clipping him.

With the earnings she made from selling her livestock, she said she would be able to buy another sheep and save up for college.

“Leading up to it (the sale), it’s just tiring in the morning,” said Ayrin Davis of Hermiston. Ayrin marked her fourth time attending this year and said it was hard and sad, but she will keep coming back and is heading to Pendleton next.

A bidding war broke out in the balmy air as seventh grader Quinn Duff showed his goat named Murr. The winner of the Grand Champion Showman ribbon from Milton-Freewater, the 13-year-old Quinn has been showing goats for more than half his life, starting at 6 years old.

Raised on a 40-head farm that also breeds horses, Quinn has spent his life around animals and intends to stay with animals in the future. He said he had put a lot of time and effort into Murr over the last six months, who had a listed market value of $259.48 going into the auction.

“At least three times a week I would wash his legs to get the leg hair growing and blow them out,” he said.

Tanner Duff, Quinn’s younger brother, also was in the auction and won the Reserve Grand Champion ribbon for his own goat. He said it felt good to compete with his brother, who he’s been able to practice with and get tips, while also competing with each other.

Tanner, who has been showing for around four years, said he’s sold two goats this year, with the first sale taking place in Milton-Freewater.

“It’s sad,” he said, “but I’m feeling really good.”