Auction day at the fair

It was a very special day for Porterville native Karen Webb Johns at the 60th annual Porterville Junior Livestock Sale at the Porterville Fairgrounds on Saturday morning.

Thirty years ago, Johns and her sister Melissa Webb had the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer. On Saturday, she proudly watched as her two sons, Layton and Brett Johns, placed their Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Market Steers on the auctioning block.

The Webb sisters did not grow up with a farming family, Karen Johns said. They became involved because their friends showed animals.

"Thirty years later, we are all still friends," Karen Johns said. "The [livestock sale] is very special. We have a lot of friends and family and every year, we are all here. We showed animals together and now our kids are showing animals together. It is a very special time for us."

Layton Johns' 1,295-pound FFA market steer sold for $11.50 per pound, while Brett Johns' 1,298-pound 4-H black crossbred steer captured an interesting amount per pound.

As the bid reached $8.50 per pound, auctioneer Ron Evans tried unsuccessfully to have it raised to $9 per pound when a bidder suddenly called out $8.92.

"$8.92? That's unheard of." Evans said. "But alright. Sold. $8.92 it is."

A big difference, Karen Johns said, from when she first showed at the fair at the age of 9.

It's come a long way. My first steer sold for 47 cents a pound," Karen Johns said. "Of course, I only paid 27 cents a pound for it.

"My reserve champion sold for about $2.25 to $2.50 a pound. I don't remember exactly but I don't remember ever selling for more than that. And at that time, that seemed like a great deal. Things have changed quite a bit."

The 60th annual livestock sale was kicked off with the auctioning of the grand champions and reserve champion animals.

First on the block was Ricky Leals' Grand Champion Meat Pen Rabbits, bringing in $300.

Monache FFA member Jonathan Fusick was next with his Grand Champion Meat Pen Chickens. It was his first attempt at raising chickens and he smiled as the bid reached $450

And so the sale continued, with student after student entering the ring with their prized animals.

Seventh into the ring was Bethany Reed with her pen of Reserve Grand Champion Meat Pen Rabbits.

"This has taught her a lot about responsibility," said her mother Jamie Reed. "She's never raised them before. I am very pleased with her."

Fusick and Reed were not the only ones debuting animals at the fair. Siblings Alley and Tyler Henry, of Prairie Center 4-H and Porterville High School FFA respectively, also showed animals for the first time. Grandfather Eugene Pozzebon traveled from Santa Barbara and sat with their father, Phil Henry, in the bleachers.

"They both love animals but the two are completely different children," Henry said. "Ally was very regiment from the beginning. Tyler had no idea how difficult it would be - the feeding and the walking. He's learned a lot. It's been a great eye opener experience for him especially."

Total dollar amounts and tabulations of the sales will be available in a few days, said fair organizers.

Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1047 or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.