Livestock auction concludes Westmoreland Fair
Three days with rain affected attendance at this year's Westmoreland Fair and caused cancellation of a popular Monster Truck event in the grandstand arena. Otherwise, “Things have been going good,” fair Secretary Michelle Long said Saturday morning as the final day of activities was under way.
“Our grandstand acts always are big draws,” Long said, but noted, “The weather can't be perfect every year.”
Family living building coordinator Patty Graff reported there were 222 canned goods exhibited, down by 100 from the 2016 fair. But, overall, interest didn't flag among fair participants.
There were close to 1,400 exhibitors showcasing their produce, livestock and crafts, on a par with previous years, according to Long.
This year was particularly good for two young exhibitors — cousins Amy Pecora, 12, of Penn Township and Aspen Jobe, 14, of Salem Township. They earned many times the going market rate for their prize-winning hogs in Saturday's Junior Livestock Auction at the fair.
Aumer's Hot Sausage of Ruffsdale bid more than $5 per pound for Pecora's 277-pound Grand Champion Market Hog, named Tyrone. Dominion Energy paid $7 per pound for Jobe's 266-pound Reserve Champion, Judy, and then donated the pig back so it could be auctioned a second time, with proceeds benefiting the local 4-H program.
Both girls are veteran fair exhibitors at the county and state level and members of the Extreme Stockman 4-H Club in New Alexandria. They've grown up in farming families with siblings who also won livestock prizes at the fair, and each is planning to pursue an agriculture-related career.
“I was in 4-H growing up, showing hogs,” Pecora's mother, Amanda, said. “Now this is the second wave of kids going through the program.”
The cousins' secret for success is no secret at all: Hard work and long hours, they agreed.
“It takes a lot of hard work and commitment,” said Jobe. “If you want to win, you have to do the work.”
Pecora purchased her hog from an Ohio breeder in April and tended to the animal anywhere from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on a given day as she prepared it for the fair.
Adding proceeds from three other animals she placed up for auction, Jobe figured she earned $3,000 or more Saturday. Some of that money will go toward the purchase and feeding of animals for next year's fair. Planning for a few years further ahead, she added, “I might save some money for a car.”
Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6622, jhimler@tribweb.com or via Twitter @jhimler_news.
