MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Junior Fair Sale of Champions Saturday will have significant differences from past years due to COVID-19-related health and safety restrictions.
But one thing that will not change is that the bidding and sales for all Grand Champions and Reserve Champions will be held live at the multipurpose building, without “hybrid” sales involving an online bidding option, according to Fair Board Sales Committee President Jim Blanchard. The animals themselves won’t be there; only their 4-H exhibitors will be. Prospective buyers have been able to view photos of the market animals over the past few weeks.
Sale of Champions animals include a total of 10 different animals, each with a Grand Champion and Reserve Champion, to be sold at essentially the same time, Blanchard said, with a single Dairy Product category as well for a total of 21 sales. The champions’ order of sale for the morning, each animal involving a Grand and Reserve champion, are market dairy steers; market goats; broilers (chickens); market swine; friers (rabbits); market beef; dairy product; dairy market feeders; the pen of three (lambs); market lambs; and market turkeys.
The fair board had considered a “hybrid” sale that would have allowed remote bidding, but the fairgrounds consist of rolling hills that aren’t conducive for reliable Internet connectivity, at least not yet, Blanchard said. It would have been advantageous for some buyers, given the encouragement to maintain social distance. With only so much seating, those planning to attend are encouraged to bring their seats such as folding chairs.
Another change is that buyers, who will include individuals and businesses, will not be bidding on a price per pound, Blanchard said. Instead, they will be bidding on the total price of the animal, or as he put it, “bidding on that 4-H member’s entire project at once.”
Another major difference this year, he said, is that there will not be a “passing of papers” for those wishing to track sales sheets provided by the Junior Fair. That would involve too much touching of papers and the county health department advised against it to help prevent coronavirus transmission, Blanchard said. So those attending will need to be good at writing and categorizing sales by hand. Wearing masks will also be strongly encouraged.
Instead of animals in the Sale of Champions sales ring, once bids and sales are completed, buyers will receive a plaque with a photo of the 4-H exhibitor with his or her Grand or Reserve Champion, in the form of a 4-by-6 inch photo. There will also be a second round of photos taken with the exhibitor and their animal having “2020 Grand Champion” with an animal name, or “2020 Reserve Champion” and animal name. It’s up to the buyer which photo to have with their plaque.
In addition to the Sale of Champions in the multipurpose building, there will also be general sales in two different locations, Blanchard said. One will be the hog barn, where, goats, hogs and lambs will be sold in that order. These are quality market animals that placed well but were not Grand or Reserve champion. In the multipurpose building, after the Sale of Champions, will be more general sales: market beef, market dairy steers, beef feeders; dairy market feeders; friers; turkeys and broilers.
Those who contribute funds to boost the price of general sales animals, known as Buyer’s Club members, should have a larger pot of contributions to help bolster bid amounts this year, perhaps as high as $6,000, Blanchard said. For those who cannot attend the general sales in person but wish to support the Junior Fair exhibitors and their market animals, this is a way for them to do it, he added.
The Sale of Champions starts Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
