Martha Roque from Manzanita 4-H shows her Grand Champion Steer, Norbit, at the Butte County Fair Jr. Livestock Auction Sale of Champions, Saturday, August 28. Holding her emotions in, she presented the 1,505 lb. steer professionally and earned a top sale price of $9.00/lb. Photo by Seti Long

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - A season of hard work culminated at the Junior Livestock Auction Saturday, Aug. 28, as youth from county 4-H, Grange and FFA clubs sold their animals at the Butte County Fair.

The effort everyone put forth raising their project was reflected in the skills gained handling the animal, as well as the appearance, weight and overall shape of the animal.

Buyers purchase animals at the Butte County Fair Junior Livestock Auction for multiple reasons, but two dominate the list. One, animals are purchased for high-quality, locally sourced meat. Two, buyers know the seller personally and/or know they put in a lot of time and effort raising their animal.

Others, like Blue Collar Plumbing, have a more meaningful or even synchronistic backstory to their purchases.

Julie Higby, wife of Blue-Collar Plumbing owner Jared Higby, shared that Vada Mootz of Durham Grange approached them before the Sale of Champions on Saturday to introduce herself and her turkey.

Shortly after showing, Vada Mootz was able to find her buyer in the crowd and personally thank them for purchasing her turkey. Buyers Julie and Jared Higby were deeply moved by the special moment. Photo by Seti Long

“She said, ‘My turkey has one blue eye,’ and so she (Vada) named it Bluebell,” Julie Higby said ringside at the auction as Mootz and Bluebell took to the center.

Higby shared that she had told Mootz that she and her husband owned a company called Blue Collar Plumbing and that Mootz gasped and uttered, “Blue,” noting the coincidence.

Mootz and Bluebell were part of the Sale of Champions, the upper echelon of animals at that year’s fair. Bluebell took the title of Reserve Grand Champion Market Turkey.

Blue Collar Plumbing would end up taking the 29-pound turkey home for a pretty price of $1,500. Higby couldn’t help but believe it was fate that led them to Mootz and Bluebell but nonetheless was looking forward to the massive turkey this holiday season.

Others, like Dr. Bob and Emma Lee Bowling of Bowling Family Dentistry, self-described “fair rookies,” would make their first purchase at auction this year and go big doing so.

After the sale, showers are able to release any pent-up stress and emotions. Amanda Schohr hugs a tearful Martha Roque after the sale of Norbit, assuring her that she did a great job. Photo by Seti Long

Bowling Family Dentistry purchased Norbit, the 2026 Butte County Fair 4-H Grand Champion Steer, raised by Martha Roque of Manzanita 4-H.

Roque was dwarfed by the 1,505-pound steer as she took to the ring, with prize buckles, banners and awards displayed behind her by peers during the Sale of Champions. While Roque maintained her emotions, her peers could not.

Tears streamed down their faces, as did many others that day, as youth sold their animals and said farewell.

“It’s tough to see the emotions of the kids saying goodbye to an animal, but I think it’s good for them,” Dr. Bowling said. “As a buyer, it makes you want to participate and support something you know is doing good. The whole process teaches a ton of life skills.”

Martha Roque pictured after showing her steer at the Butte County Fair 2026. Photo courtesy of the Butte County Fair

As for the reality of the processing, Dr. Bowling said, “People are usually disconnected from their food sources, but it’s a reality that we all need to face.”

The purchase was also made more meaningful by their connection to Roque through the community. Knowing her to be kind and responsible, they felt called to support her through their purchase.

“Norbit was a beautiful cow,” Dr. Bowling said. “We know youth-raised animals will produce high-quality meat products. ... At the end of the day, we were after high-quality beef.”

Roque sold her steer for $9 per pound, more than $2 above the $6.76-per-pound average for beef sales reported by the fair.

After the auction, the Butte County Fair reported the average price per pound for swine was $10.78, sheep was $13.27 and goat was $22.77.

The fair reported that the average price per head for a rabbit meat pen was $922.62, with chicken meat pens averaging $960 and turkey meat pens averaging $1,200.

Youth from all over the county took to the ring at the Jr. Livestock Auction to sell their projects, the best saved for the Sale of Champions. Vada Mootz shows “Bluebell,” a Reserve Champion Turkey. Photo courtesy of Julie Higby

Nearly 270 youth sold animals at auction, with 27 in the champion brackets, including:

Grand Champion Market Animal: Beef - Ellie Tiffany, Durham FFA. Swine - Harper Johnson, Wyandotte Grange. Sheep - Josielynn Payan, Chico Grange. Goat - Quincy Watner, Durham 4-H.

Reserve Grand Champion Market Animal: Beef - Kendra Gomez, Las Plumas FFA. Swine - Chelsea Alderson, Chico FFA. Sheep - Myla Talk, Las Plumas FFA. Goat - Kayden Payan, Pleasant Valley FFA.

Grand Champion Small Market Animal: Rabbit - Addyson Vandiver, Las Plumas FFA. Turkey - Roni Rollins, Chico FFA. Poultry - Parker Rollins, Chico FFA.

Reserve Grand Champion Small Market Animal: Rabbit - Adela Aguilar, Pine Ridge 4-H. Turkey - Vada Mootz, Durham Grange. Poultry - Julie Felix, Durham FFA.

Ag Mechanics: Grand Champion - Clint Early, Las Plumas FFA. Reserve Grand Champion - A.J. Weinzinger. Fabrication Institute Supreme Exhibitor - Joseph Fernandes.

Other champions of note:

FFA: Reserve Champion Market Hog - Chance Benedict, Las Plumas. Reserve Champion Market Lamb - Raegan Johnson, Las Plumas. Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat - Kate Vanella, Durham. Reserve Champion Market Rabbit - Lorene Gore, Durham.

4-H: Reserve Champion Market Lamb - Breilyn Lafayette. Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat - Julie Lema, Manzanita. Reserve Grand Champion Market Rabbit - Hayden Brock. Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer - Martha Roque, Manzanita. Reserve Grand Steer - Shasta 4-H.