CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Following a week of youth livestock showmanship competitions at the Laramie County Fair, award-winning animals will enter the spotlight.
The Kiwanis Club of Cheyenne is hosting the 60th Annual Sale of Champions on Friday night. Local youth whose animals won the top title of “champion” at this year’s fair will be auctioned off at the event, which is set to take place at Wyoming Hereford Ranch, 1114 Hereford Ranch Road. Champion animals set to be sold Friday are hogs, poultry, steer, lambs and goats.
Since the 1960s, the Kiwanis Club has hosted the livestock sale to provide a space for local FFA members to sell their livestock projects. Any money earned through auction sales are distributed to FFA chapters, who utilize the funds as scholarships for student projects or as traveling expenses so students can attend national conventions or leadership camps, according to Kevin Burkett, a longtime Kiwanian helping Friday’s event.
“It’s not a fundraiser at all; it’s just a way of helping our youth,” Burkett said.
The livestock sale highlights FFA members’ entrepreneurial spirit, Burkett said. On top of raising prize-winning livestock, youth undertake the task of connecting with community members to promote their animals. Some go door to door to meet with potential buyers, while others have published newsletters, Burkett said. He says that breeding livestock is only a piece of the FFA youth’s professional development.
“It’s more than livestock, because FFA members, some of the other things they learn is public speaking,” Burkett said. “They learn parliamentary procedure. They have sales and marketing. They do a lot of different functions within their Ag programs. It just happens to be livestock is a piece of it.”
Local FFA youth whose livestock won champion titles will be in the sale ring to exhibit, and hopefully sell, the animals Friday starting at 7 p.m. A buyers’ dinner consisting of steak, vegetables and dessert will be served beforehand at 5:30 p.m.
Anyone with additional inquiries can contact Burkett at 307-631-3887 or Kiwanian Brenda Birkle at 307-286-0736.
