Monday afternoon at the County Fair
A quiet afternoon at the Somerset County Fair
Madolin Edwards, The Daily American
MEYERSDALE – “This is the Super Bowl for farm animals in Somerset County,” said Caleb Antram, 20, of Somerset, who took two pigs and eight sheep to the Somerset County Fair this week with his 16-year-old brother, Josiah.
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Antram, a member of the Somerset FFA and leader of the Steaks and Chops 4-H Club, was in the sheep pen shearing his lambs Sunday afternoon. He pointed out that while the Bloomsburg Fair in Columbia County prides itself on being the largest agricultural fair in the state, Somerset County is nearby.
Antram was one of several hundred exhibitors in the livestock pens who brought their animals to the fairgrounds Saturday to be weighed and examined before being allowed into the fair. First, these market animals are shown throughout the week. Then, these livestock, including sheep, hogs, steers and goats, are sold at the annual livestock auction, which begins at 10 a.m. Saturday. This sale is often considered one of the largest in the state, and last year the youths who participated earned a total of $373,278 for 342 animals sold.
“It’s the big event at the end of the summer,” Antram said. “We put it on the calendar to get there and have the animals ready and ready to market on the market date. It’s a challenge and an adrenaline rush, but it’s about more than just the awards and the paycheck. It’s about friends and memories.”
He said that although the fair lasts for eight days at the end of August, the project itself – depending on the species of animal and whether or not the farms have a breeding program – is a 365-day-a-year responsibility at home that ultimately pays off with the reward of the fair at the end of the summer.
Antram wants to one day become a veterinarian in Somerset County and will return to Penn State University’s main campus in the fall for his senior year, where he will pursue a degree in animal science and hopefully attend Ohio State University next fall to pursue his doctorate in veterinary medicine. He said all exhibitors will learn about nutrition, general health and well-being of farm animals, even if they aren’t aware of it.
At the piggery, the Hay sisters Alexsys, 14, and Chloe, 10, from Somerset, took their pigs to the fair on Saturday after a long summer of getting up every day to feed, bathe and walk Grace and Rose. The girls are the daughters of Bruce and Sarah Hay.
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“It’s a big responsibility, but it’s fun,” said Alexsys Hay. “You build a bond with the animal, and even though it’s sad to have to sell it, you know you did your best and they did their best for you.”
In the steer pen, Ella Latshaw, 15, of Somerset, daughter of Casey and Mark Schrift and Eugene Latshaw, tends to her steer named “Winston,” which weighed 1,350 pounds on Saturday. It is her fifth steer at the Somerset County Fair. Unlike sheep, pigs and goats, a steer project takes nearly a year to be ready for market. Latshaw got “Winston” last September and has been working with him since then.
“I like spending time with him and getting to know his personality,” Latshaw said. “It’s about feeding them, giving them water and taking them for walks so they get used to you.”
And especially with a steer, it’s all about grooming. Winston is constantly getting a great haircut. His coat is regularly washed, groomed, rinsed, blow-dried and brushed, using various hair care products. The family has taken him to a few jackpot shows and last fall he won Reserve Club Calf Champion.
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In the Market Goat Barn, Alli Creegan, 17, of Wellersburg, a 12th grader at Meyersdale Area High School, won the overall title with “Chester” and the reserve title with “Theo” on Saturday. She is the daughter of Heather and Zach Sloane and a member of the Buffalo Creek 4-H Club.
“I’ve gotten a reserve champion before, but never a champion. It’s been super exciting,” Creegan said. “We got them in March and work with them every day. It’s a good way to learn leadership and responsibility.”
