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Junior Livestock Auction

Months of effort for young, aspiring ranchers and farmers culminates at the Salinas Valley Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction on Saturday, May 18th. Over 800 4-H and FFA members have selected, purchased, fed, and groomed livestock to be judged, graded and sold at the Fair.

A few seconds in the ring concludes months of hard work for these young livestock exhibitors, who have raised market hogs, sheep, beef, replacement heifers, rabbits, or poultry. Thanks to the buyers, the animals bring a good return to the exhibitors who have spent time in the show ring having their animals examined by the judges. The auction starts out with market hogs, followed by bred heifers, beef, goats, poultry, rabbits, and lambs.

The Junior Livestock Auction brings together the efforts of volunteers and the generosity of many businesses. “Learning to produce food for my table and how to be in business for myself – valuable lessons I learned as a 4-H and FFA member,” said Fair Auction Director, Cody Bassetti, “Now as the volunteers and the auction buyers, we’re all doing our part to ensure these lessons continue for kids in our community.” Bassetti is a volunteer Director of the Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction and oversees the 75 plus volunteers that help to sell the livestock raised by the 4-H and FFA members.

Staff members from Mechanics Bank are ringside to help operate the video projections, which display lot numbers, seller information, and sale price. Breakfast is sponsored by CliftonLarsonAllen, and American Ag Credit sponsors the buyers’ lunch. Industrial Pump Shop, Mike and Mary Orradre, and Rosa Pacheco’s Catering sponsor the Buyers’ Reception at the conclusion of the auction.

In the barn area, volunteers work closely with project leaders and exhibitors to make sure the animals are brought into the ring in a timely manner.

The ringmen watch closely to catch every bid—begging and cajoling when necessary, to get the best price for each animal. The auctioneers, in their measured cadence, keep the auction moving to make sure the seller and buyer each get their due.

“Our volunteers, donors, and buyers really make the difference,” said John Orradre, Livestock Committee Chair. “Every year something special and surprising, takes place to remind me we have a good thing going in King City.” The Salinas Valley Fair Livestock Committee and the Junior Livestock Auction Committee are constantly looking for ways to make purchasing animals easy for the buyer. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions before and day of sale to explain purchasing options to new or potential buyers.

For more information, call 831-385-3521 or e-mail livestock@SalinasValleyFair.com.

Become a NEW Buyer!

If you are interested in becoming a new buyer for the Salinas Valley Fair Junior Livestock Auction, email us at livestock@salinasvalleyfair.com. Please include your/business name, contact information, and mailing address to get started.

2024 Dedication: Tom & Terry Bengard

Tom and Terry’s roots grow deep in the Salinas Valley. Both of their families came out West during the gold rush and started farming and ranching here in the 1850s. Growing up in King City, Tom worked in his family’s walnut orchard and harvested grain in the summer. He also enjoyed spending time with his uncles learning about the cattle business. Terry was raised in Salinas and spent weekends and summers at her family’s cattle ranch in the foothills east of town. As youngsters, Tom and Terry participated in 4-H and FFA. Their three children and all ten grandchildren were 4-H members, as well. The Salinas Valley Fair has always been a much anticipated and important event for the Bengards.

Tom and Terry met while attending UC Davis. They married in 1959, and upon Tom’s graduation, they returned to Salinas Valley to pursue their dreams. Tom began his career at Basic Vegetables in King City, and a few years later, he and Terry moved to her family’s ranch in Salinas where he started farming on his own. He formed Tom Bengard Ranch, Inc., a grower-packer-shipper of fresh market vegetables that has been in business for over 50 years. Always the animal lover, Terry was focused on the livestock business. She raised Suffolk sheep for many years, selling to 4-H and FFA kids who competed at local fairs. In the early 70’s, the Bengards purchased their first set of cows, and over the next 4 decades, they grew their herd to 2,500 Black Angus cows that grazed on ranches they purchased from the Salinas Valley to Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Tom and Terry were loyal supporters of 4-H and FFA at auctions in every community that they farmed and ranched in. They truly appreciated the value of these organizations that promote agriculture and educate future generations. The Bengard Family has had a long history of agricultural involvement with a strong commitment to community.