The Wayne County Fair 4-H, FFA Junior Livestock Sale is one of the biggest in the state

The Wayne County Fair, in its 162-year history, has been synonymous with promotion of this county's long agricultural heritage, the displays of livestock remaining a popular attraction. The presence of 4-H and FFA is strong, with young people bringing farm animals they have raised for showing and auctioning on the last day of the fair.

The Junior Livestock Sale for 2024 features 180 4-H or FFA members exhibiting 460 market animals, steers, pigs, sheep, goats and rabbits, Chelsea Hill with the Wayne County Penn State Extension reported. In addition, there are numerous dairy and breeding animals being exhibited, which are not part of the auction.

Sixteen of these youths have graduated high school this year and are receiving $2,300 scholarships from money raised by the sale.

More: These 16 high school graduates are receiving Junior Livestock Sale scholarships

Orley White, who chairs the Scholarship Committee and is on the board of the Junior Livestock Sale, commented, "The Wayne County sale has become highly successful, frequently being the second or third highest grossing sale in Pennsylvania, next to the Harrisburg sale" at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

At the end of this year's sale, White said, the committee will have presented 412 scholarships amounting to $571,433 since the scholarship fund was started in 1998.

The Wayne County Fair, located a mile north of Honesdale, is set for Aug. 2-10. Livestock will be available daily at the north end of the fairgrounds for the public to see and meet the youths and farmers who raise them. Various juried livestock shows occur throughout the week.

The sale occurs on Saturday, Aug. 10, in the arena starting at 10 a.m.

For scholarship winner Brooke Kellogg, raising and showing animals is helping to prepare her for her goal to be a veterinarian, specifically for large animals. The 2024 Western Wayne High School graduate was raised on her family farm outside Honesdale.

She is a member of Pleasant Mount Go-Getters 4-H Club. Since she was 8, she has been raising and showing animals, along with her two sisters and cousins. At the 2023 Wayne County Fair, she had the Grand Champion Pig and the Reserve Champion Lamb and earned the rating as Ultimate Showman. For the 2024 fair, Kellogg is showing two pigs, a steer and a lamb.

Not getting too emotionally attached to the livestock is the hard part, she said. Her experience has proved invaluable. "I really just enjoy working with the animals. It's really where my heart's at," Kellogg said. "It's even better to do it with my family."

Local 4-H clubs have exhibited at the fair since at least 1933, when the 4H Calf Cub showed Jerseys and Holsteins.

Prior to starting the auction, the youths took their animals home from the fair and either bred them, sought private buyers to try to recoup some of the cost of raising the animals or their family had them slaughtered.

Longtime 4-H supporters established the auction in 1998. The first auction began with only about 10 animals. That year, the Sales Committee began the scholarship program to assist graduating seniors in 4-H and FFA to fulfill their future goals.

The fund was later named the Nebzydoski-White Memorial Jr. Livestock Scholarship Fund. This remembers two of the biggest program supporters: Dr. David J. Nebzydoski, a veterinarian from Pleasant Mount who died in 2003, and James D. White, who died in 2007. James was Orley White's husband.

She explained that scholarship funds are raised by direct donation, often in memory of a loved one, as well as by the “buyback” feature of the livestock sale.

"Those who purchase an animal at the auction, may donate it back to be sold again. The proceeds from the resale go to the scholarship fund or any other charity of the second purchaser’s choice," she said. "The buyback method benefits 4-H or FFA twice; once when the initial sale proceeds are paid to the individual who raised the animal and again in the future to a senior member to assist with them in their future plans." She said she has seen an animal purchased back three times.

For the full schedule and information about the Wayne County Fair, visit waynecountyfair.com .

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: The Wayne County Fair 4-H, FFA Junior Livestock Sale is one of the biggest in the state