Tuesday, Aug. 28, nearly $500,000 went to young people, who took championship livestock to the Colorado State Fair.

The annual Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Junior Livestock Sale is the largest event of its kind in Colorado and the championship event for the state’s 4-H and FFA youth. According to state fair officials, the 2012 sale broke last year’s record and accumulated $478,800 from the state’s most dedicated bidders.

The sale is sponsored each year by Highline Electric Association, Colorado Country Life, Colorado Rural Electric Association, Colorado Rural Electric Member Service group, Tri-State Generation and Transmission and 17 other electric co-ops in Colorado, all unified under the Touchstone Energy brand name.

The young exhibitors who won champion, reserve champion, first, second and third place in their livestock divisions have the opportunity to auction their animals at this sale. All proceeds from the sale go directly to the education funds of the youth exhibitors. Last year, the sale drew in $407,325.

“The Colorado State Fair is honored to host this annual event,” said State Fair General Manager Chris Wiseman.

“Animal agriculture plays a vital role in all our lives, and the participants at the Colorado State Fair’s livestock shows are on the road to becoming important contributors to tomorrow’s agricultural industry,” continued Wiseman.

Holyoke Enterprise September 13, 2012