By Nigel Maxwell

Charity steer auction goes online

Jun 11, 2020 | 5:00 PM

This year’s Charity Steer Auction in Prince Albert is taking on a different look and feel, as there will be no live crowd to enjoy it and no auctioneer.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, the regular auction was not able to take place in its traditional form this weekend.

Rather than hang their hats, the Prince Albert Regional Show and Sale committee, along with participating 4-H clubs, opted to go ahead with the Charity Steer Auction, and will host a Facebook silent auction on Friday. Committee member Christine McGillivray said the clubs will obviously miss the bigger, public show.

“There’s a lot of disappointed kids for sure. They start with their animals in October or November, and some start earlier, so it’s a lot of time to put in and then have the show cancelled,” she said.

The bidding Friday starts at noon and ends at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 15. Prospective buyers can place bids through the Weldon 4-H Beef Club Facebook page and the money from the sale will go to the chosen charity, STARS.

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“We wanted to try to find a way to make as much money as we could to support STARS. So this way the buyer will be able to support STARS but also they get [the] whole beef which they can do what they want with,” McGillivray said.

A photo of Alex Manson with ‘Buddy’. (submitted photo/ Alex Manson)

Five local 4-H clubs attend the regional show each year and care of the charity steer is rotated around from club to club.

This year members of the Manson and Weldon families volunteered to look after the Simmental steer, which will weigh approximately 1,350 pounds at the time of the sale. Alex Manson, 18, has been caring for ‘Buddy’ since last June and said she developed quite a bond with him.

“He was my favourite since day one. He was very lovable throughout the year, and he is always excited to see me,” she said.

Much like McGillivray, Manson also expressed her disappointment about the cancellation of the annual summer fair beef and cattle show.

“Im a little disappointed that none of us got to show any of our steers, and I’m a little upset that no one gets to see the charity steer for themselves. But I am glad we are still going ahead with an online auction and get money raised for STARS,” she said.

Traditionally the club responsible for the charity steer on a given year pays for the costs of purchase, however this year, JGL stepped up and purchased the steer for the club in the fall. Lake Country Co-Op donated the feed.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell