Somerset County Fair the Super Bowl for market animals

MEYERSDALE ― "This is the Somerset County Super Bowl for market livestock," said Caleb Antram, 20, Somerset, who, along with his brother Josiah, 16, took two pigs and eight sheep to this week's Somerset County Fair.

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Antram, a member of Somerset FFA and a leader for Steaks and Chops 4-H Club, was in the sheep barn Sunday afternoon clipping his lambs. He pointed out that while Bloomsburg Fair in Columbia County has bragging rights to the biggest agricultural fair in the state, Somerset County falls in line close by.

Antram was one of a few hundred exhibitors in the livestock barns who brought their animals into the fairgrounds on Saturday to be weighed and checked to enter the fair. First, these market animals will be shown throughout the week. Then, these livestock animals including sheep, pigs, steers and goats will be sold at the annual livestock auction starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. This sale is often considered one of the biggest in the state and last year $373,278 overall for 342 animals sold was earned by youth who competed.

"It's the granddaddy event at the end of summer," Antram said. "We put it on the calendar to get there and have these animals finished and ready to go to market by fairtime. It's a challenge and an adrenaline rush all at the same time but it's beyond the ribbons and the paycheck. It's about friends and memories."

He said that while the fair lasts eight days at the end of August, the project themselves, depending on the species and whether or not their farms run a breeding program, is a 365-day-a-year responsibility at home that pays off in the end with the reward of fair at the end of summer.

Antram plans to become a veterinarian in Somerset County someday and is returning for his senior year at Penn State University's main campus this fall, completing a degree in animal science and hopefully attending Ohio State University for his doctorate in veterinary medicine next fall. He said all the exhibitors are learning about nutrition, general health and wellness for livestock, even if they don't realize it.

In the pig barn, Hay sisters Alexsys, 14, and Chloe, 10, of Somerset, brought their pigs to the fair Saturday after a long summer of waking up every day to feed, bathe and walk "Grace" and "Rose." The girls are the daughters of Bruce and Sarah Hay.

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"It's a big responsibility but it's fun," Alexsys Hay said. "You get to build a bond with that animal and even though it's sad you have to sell them, you know you did your best and they did their best for you."

In the steer barn, Ella Latshaw, 15, of Somerset, daughter of Casey and Mark Schrift and Eugene Latshaw, has been grooming her steer named "Winston," who weighed in Saturday at 1,350 pounds. This is her fifth steer at the Somerset County Fair. Unlike sheep, pigs and goats, a steer project takes almost a year to finish for market. Latshaw got "Winston" last September and has been working with him ever since.

"I like spending time with him and getting to know his personality," said Latshaw. "It's all about feeding, watering and walking them to get them used to you."

And, for a steer especially, it's all about grooming. "Winston" gets a big hairdo all the time. His coat is shampooed, conditioned, rinsed, blow-dried and brushed regularly with several different kinds of hair care products in the mix. The family has taken him to a few jackpot shows and he won reserve club calf champion last fall.

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In the market goat barn, Alli Creegan, 17, of Wellersburg, a senior at Meyersdale Area High School, won overall grand champion with "Chester" and reserve grand champion with "Theo" Saturday. She is the daughter of Heather and Zach Sloane and a member of the Buffalo Creek 4-H Club.

"I've gotten a reserve champion, before but never a champion. It was super exciting," Creegan said. "We got them in March and we work with them every day. It's a good way to learn leadership skills and responsibility."

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset County Fair the Super Bowl for market animals