The party was gone, yet the heart-and-soul remained

Alanna Kliewer poses with her Reserve Grand Champion and Champion Ranch Raised Market Steer with the buyers. Kliewer’s steer sold for $7.50/lb, totaling $10,380. (Image: Brian Gailey)

Young showman, Tucker Mockerage shows off his belt buckle for Reserve Grand Champion Market Hog. (Image: Brian Gailey)

“I saw a lot of determination from the kids this year, especially this year,” said Pat Arkfeld, Hog Judge from Kansas. “A lot of these kids have not been able to get out and go show and present their projects as much they would like to. I think the kids came and brought everything they could and they did an awesome job. It’s just fun to be a part of that.”

[UPDATE] As of Monday, August 10, 2020, the total for the sale including all the add-ons is $898,526.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – “It was very stressful getting here,” said Traci Reed, Klamath County 4-H Program Coordinator. “But once we got here, everyone has been so excited that they are here.”

2020 has been anything but a typical year. This past weekend was supposed to be the biggest party of the summer at the 2020 Klamath County Fair. However, much of the grounds were silent. No screams of terror coming from the carnival. The air was not filled with the sweet smell of deep-fried doughy goodies. Vendors were not selling goods and handmade trinkets. Flags, banners, or streamers did not decorate the grounds. No headlining entertainment rocked the Event Center. What you did see, was the ag community unifying and honoring the heart-and-soul of what the fair is all about, the youth of the Klamath Basin.

“This was the weirdest and best fair that I have had the privilege to be part of,” said Shawn Blodgett, Klamath County Fair Board Member, and proud 4-H / FFA parent.

Blodget continued, “I am grateful that we live in a community that supported our efforts to keep planning and pressing forward in order to have a 4-H / FFA livestock show and sale. The effort from the Fairgrounds and its board along with the extension office, leaders and superintendents was amazing. It’s been humbling to work with such a great group of people to put this all together in order to give the kids a chance to show and sell their project in the middle of the nightmare known as COVID.”

Due to the restrictions put in place from Salem, there were times when the Fair Board and 4-H / FFA personnel did not know if there would be a show and sale or not. Yet the youth of the ag community was confident something would happen.

“Fortunately it all came together just in time,” said Brian Gailey, Klamath County Fair Board Member. “This is in no shortage to the meticulous planning of Traci Reed. Our grounds are blessed to have the buildings and space to spread everyone out to properly social distance according to Traci’s plan. Most all other Oregon Fairs were canceled in 2020 because they could not meet this demand from the Capitol.”

“I had to do so many plans and versions, yet every week something would change,” said Reed. “It was frustrating for myself to keep going with these detailed plans and keep having them change. [It was] super frustrating for leaders and parents.”

Reed continued, “One family, the parents who are also leaders, came up to me and said we knew the kids needed this mentally; but we did not know how much we needed it. What I did not realize the same goes for myself.”

Listen to Traci’s full interview below.

Walking the grounds, evidence of the planning that went into the non-fair surrounded the grounds. Pens were appropriately spaced out, clubs were positioned farther away, wash stalls were marked off for social distancing, and each species had its own building.

One part of the fair not local and can never be local are the independent livestock judges. Judges are brought in from all parts of the country to review the hard work and dedication these kids put into their projects. Grade the projects, and rate the showmanship of the competitors. A tough yet rewarding job.

Arkfeld judges one of the hog competitions. (Image: Chelsea Shearer)

“I saw a lot of determination from the kids this year, especially this year,” said Pat Arkfeld, Hog Judge from Kansas. “A lot of these kids have not been able to get out and go show and present their projects as much they would like to. I think the kids came and brought everything they could and they did an awesome job. It’s just fun to be a part of that.”

Arkfeld continues, “Where I am from in the mid-west a lot of places have just canceled. Our State Fairs are still going to go on with the livestock portion of things. But the general entertainment and all the extras that go along with fairs have just been canceled. There is also a lot of livestock shows that just keep getting canceled. To be flown out to Oregon to judge a County Fair during this time is pretty cool and the community of Klamath Falls just brought that atmosphere altogether. It is really cool to be a part of that.”

Auction

The 84th Annual 4-H/FFA Rotary Livestock Auction was a huge success. This is in part due to the hard-working men and women of the Klamath Falls Rotary Club that handles the financial transaction side of the auction.

For the first time in history, the auction included online bidding for those who could not make it in person. Those who attended were socially distanced throughout the Klamath County Event Center. Skyline Brewing provided complimentary beverages to legal aged buyers which may have also loosened up a few wallets.

Sam McKeen and his buyers poses with his Grand Champion Waterfowl. McKeens project sold for over $66/lb.

There were several first-time buyers in the crowd too. A great benefit to the auction. Freeing up cash that another regular buyer may otherwise spend on another animal.

To limit the number of people in the building, only the Grand and Reserve Champions of each species were able to walk through the auction ring. Others were displayed on a projection screen with recorded video clips and photos to show the animal. This also helped to reduce the number of people in the building at any given time.

“We were in Deschutes County yesterday for their auction and it was great. I expected great things for Klamath County too,” said Stan Deupree of Deupree Auctioneers.

The auction had 235 total lots both virtual and in real life cross the auction ring. When the early totals were calculated, the auction has already broken the previous record of $710,000 set in 2019. The final number is not yet available as the contributions are still coming in.

[UPDATE] As of Monday, August 10, 2020, the auction as sold $898,526!

The socially distanced auction spread people throughout the Klamath County Event Center. For those who were not in attendance the auction was offered with an online component for the first time in 84 years. (Image: Brian Gailey)

Arkfeld said it best, as he was getting ready to head out to catch his flight home, when he said, “I appreciate the opportunity to be here. The kids have been great, your county has too. It has been an awfully nice thing to be a part of.”