Let’s Fill the Bleachers for our FFA, 4-H, and Grange Kids

For 86 years now, the youth of Fallon and Churchill County have raised and shown livestock with the kind of care, grit, and responsibility you just don’t see every day. This spring will be no different.

The 2025 Churchill County Junior Livestock Show and Sale is set for April 24–26 at the Rafter 3C Complex. Animal judging will take place Thursday and Friday, with the live auction beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. And just like we did in 1939, when the first 4-H livestock judging contest was held at Chester Lima’s place, we're asking you to come out and fill the bleachers.

We fill the bleachers for basketball and drive all over creation for baseball, softball, gymnastics, and dance. Let’s do the same for these kids—because the effort it takes to get an animal into that show ring is every bit as demanding, if not more.

Students from Churchill County High School and Oasis Academy FFA, Churchill County 4-H, and Fallon’s High Desert Grange programs will be showing animals they’ve spent months raising. “This is your opportunity to purchase locally raised animals that will yield high-quality meat,” said Karen Bogdanowicz, Churchill County 4-H program coordinator. A buyer’s appreciation lunch will be served at noon on Saturday at Rafter 3C, just before the auction.

At a recent Fallon Chamber of Commerce luncheon, four youth participants—Macady Bogdanowicz, Zachery Lewis, Alley Fait, and Taylor Sowersby—spoke about their projects and what they’ve learned along the way.

Eleven-year-old Macady will be showing her sheep and rabbits. Like all 4-H members, she’s responsible for keeping a detailed record book for each animal, tracking every expense and bit of care from day one. With three animals, that’s three separate record books—a serious responsibility for anyone, let alone a middle schooler.

Zachery Lewis is raising two steers, one for the local show and another for Reno, along with two heifers he’ll take to additional competitions. He shared the real-life lessons he’s learning, from basic veterinary care to selecting the right feed and managing his daily routine to keep the animals in top form.

Allie Fait started in 4-H at age nine with a single ewe lamb. She now has a flock of ten breeding ewes and will be showing a market lamb this year. She’s developed a strong sense of project planning and decision-making—skills that serve her both in and out of the show ring.

Taylor Sowersby, a lifelong livestock participant, focused her presentation on the public speaking and leadership opportunities 4-H and FFA have given her. She confidently addressed the Chamber crowd, using the same speech she’ll bring to future competitions.

These kids—and dozens more—will be judged not just on the health and quality of their animals, but on their handling, knowledge, and ability to present with confidence. Their work includes long days of feeding, watering, exercising, grooming, and preparing animals for show, along with learning how to present them to judges in the ring.

It’s no small task, and it deserves a crowd.

If you’re interested in purchasing an animal at the show and sale, you can attend the auction in person or contact the 4-H office to arrange for remote bidding. Can’t buy an animal but still want to help? There are sponsorship opportunities for buckles, prizes, and show expenses—every bit of support makes a difference.

Let’s fill the bleachers, Fallon. Let’s show these kids that their early mornings, long hours, and commitment to agriculture don’t go unnoticed. Because of them, the future of farming, ranching, and leadership in Churchill County is in good hands.

For more information, or to inquire about sponsorship, contact the Churchill County Junior Livestock Show and Sale at [email protected] or call 775-427-2480.