GREELEY — The Weld County Fair is now the top-grossing junior livestock sale in Colorado with more than $1 million in proceeds.
According to Weld County spokeswoman Jennifer Finch, the 101st Weld County Fair Junior Livestock Sale held on July 29, raised $1,123,506.85, surpassing the National Western Stock Show ($1,027,750) and the 2018 Colorado State Fair (slightly more than $500,000).
“It is absolutely a testimony to how strong agriculture is to Weld County,” said Weld County Commissioner Scott James. “In total AG production, we are 8th in the nation, first in sheep and goats, second in cattle and calves and seventh in dairy.”
The proceeds included $915,100 from animal sales and $208,406.85 individual supporters’ contributions.
James, a lifelong Weld County resident and a former Future Farmers of America (FFA) member, said the importance of agriculture in Weld cannot be overstated.
“It is not only a testament to how strong agriculture is in Weld County,” James said. “It is a testimony to who the buyers are. Many of the buyers come directly from oil and gas companies or the farmers who have benefited from oil and gas. It goes to show how indelibly oil and gas and agriculture are in Weld County. When one prospers, they all prosper.”
Some highlights include:
- Grand Champion market beef and market swine — Jed Sidwell and Cash Burnett: $20,000 each.
2019 Weld County Fair Complete Colorado file photo. - Grand Champion market lamb — Lauren Frink: $11,000.
- Grand Champion market goat — Rylee Anderson: $10,500.
- Grand Champion turkey — Jamie Bond: $4,500.
- Grand Champion chickens — Hazen Weber: $2,750.
- Grand Champion rabbit pen — Wyatt Herring: $2,650.
Complete results can be found at www.weldcountyfair.com.
James said he was proud of Weld County, proud of its agriculture and proud of its oil and gas for giving kids a jump-start on their future.
“These kids bust their humps with their 4H projects,” James said. “For 90 percent of them, it becomes their college funds. It is a product of their labor and the benefit of oil and gas that will send these kids to college. You cannot downplay how important that triad is to Weld County. It is our future. When you knock one of those legs out it is devastating.”
