Cashmere FFA participation grows ahead of county fair

CASHMERE — Cashmere FFA will bring 59 market animal exhibitors to the Chelan County Fair this year, an increase from the chapter’s participation two years ago.

The fair runs Sept. 9-13, with students hauling their livestock to the fairgrounds Wednesday, Sept. 9. The livestock auction begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.

This year’s Cashmere FFA contingent includes 42 hogs, 12 lambs, three steers and two goats. In 2024, 49 Cashmere FFA members brought 51 market animals to the fair, including 36 hogs, 13 lambs, one steer and one goat.

The livestock projects represent months of work by students raising and caring for their animals before bringing them to the fair, where they participate in judging and showing before the Saturday auction.

Prospective buyers have several options for purchasing an animal or supporting an exhibitor.

Buyers may purchase an animal and then “turn” it to a packer buyer, who pays a pre-established market price. The purchaser pays the difference between the market value and the winning bid as support for the student.

Buyers may also purchase an animal for personal consumption and send it to a local processor. A typical market hog yields about 55% of its live weight in retail product after processing, while market lambs and goats generally yield slightly less than half their live weight.

Those who do not wish to purchase an animal may support an individual exhibitor through an “Exhibitor Support” add-on form available through the Chelan County Fair website at https://www.chelancountyfair.com/ under “Plan Your Visit.”

Cashmere FFA and 4-H thanked area businesses for their continued support of youth agricultural projects.

Cashmere FFA exhibitors

Hogs: Noah Adamek, Abril Alvarado, Jack Baker, Kiana Baty, Colton Bjorklund, Bentley Brown, Corbin Burger, Kate Croci, Braden Dahlstrom, Reese Dahlstrom, Etta Deason, Jake Donaldson, Wallace Gann, Ayden Gasbar, Oscar Green, Claira Guerin, Camryn Harnden, Haile James, Maci Jones, Abigail Leavitt, Addi Lyons, Cole McKenna, Jayce McMahon, Ella Niederstadt, Emma Nick, David Odenrider, Vanessa Oropeza, Brody Potter, Braylon Rubio, Sym Sandhu, Cole Smith, Cooper Smith, Elly Steele, Colton Stendera, Sara Stewart, Jacoby Tait, Makinsey Tait, Ryan Thayer, Slade Tukey, Taiden Tukey, Mia West and Zinaee Zaragoza.

Lambs: Ava Burns, Miranda Castro, Kaelee Cox, Leela Flick, Allyson Naranjo, Evelyn Ortega, Olivia Ray, Zoey Rousey, Elizabeth Sanchez, Olivia Smith, Izzy Thomas and Emmy Van Den Broek.

Steers: Amelia Flick, Callen Pipkin and Kolton Weeks.

Goats: Kyah Albright and Sadie Lindsay.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media