Electric Fishwrap has moved

By Kate Martin

Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

The boy sobbed as he led his steer, Bubba, into the arena.

“I don’t wanna to sell him!” he yelled between sobs. “I wanna take him back to his stall!”

Jordan Yarber, 8, showed his first steer this year at the Larimer County Fair. Wednesday was the Junior Livestock Sale at the Ranch-Way Feeds Indoor Arena, where the Fort Collins boy had to sell Bubba.

The livestock sale is a terminal sale. All animals sold are immediately sent for slaughter and processing.

Jordan knew that, and his heart was breaking.

His grandfather, Bill Gibbens of Fort Collins, said the boy and calf hit it off when they first met in January.

“That calf took a liking to him,” Gibbens said. “The other day, he was crying a little bit, and the steer licked the tears off his face.”

Jordan composed himself when the auction began. His was the third steer in the lineup. He choked back his sobs, his lower lip quavering, as he led Bubba around the ring. Bubba sold for $1,500.

Jordan walked Bubba from the ring, handed the lead to his mother, Robin Yarber, and gave a picture of Bubba to the winning bidder, Bank of Choice in Evans.

“Thank you for buying my steer,” he said quietly, tears falling down his face.

He rushed back to Bubba, flung his arms around his neck and wailed.

Robin scolded Jordan but said she understands how he feels. She was in 4-H years ago and sold steers for the livestock sale.

“I cried every year,” she said.

She offered to lead Bubba to the holding pens, but Jordan grabbed the rope and led him down the chute.

Robin said she couldn’t lead her animals to the holding pens when she was younger. One of her parents had to do it for her.

Gibbens said even if Jordan took the animal home, it would end up with the same fate.

Gibbens said, “He knows we feed them and butcher them, but when it comes down to it …”

He trailed off as Jordan let loose new sobs of grief.

The auctioneer’s singsong cadence continued throughout the night. Overall, 250 animals were sold.

The stands were full of buyers by 5:30 p.m. Steers, pigs, lambs, goats, rabbits and fowl were sold Wednesday.

Stephen Cochran, 13, of Loveland, raised the reserve grand champion wool breed lamb.

He said he intends to put the money he got for his lamb into a college fund. The winning bid was $550.

“They don’t sell for a whole lot,” Stephen said. “But they’re easy to lead around.”

He has raised lambs for the past three years for the county fair. He said he got really attached the first year, when he named his lamb.

“And the second year,” he said.

This year, he didn’t name his lamb.

“I tried not to spend as much time with it,” he said.

Jordan didn’t talk much after he released Bubba into the holding pen.

Gibbens said, “Next year he said he’s going to take a heifer so he can bring it back home.”

But he said Jordan might change his mind when he’s older. The grand champion steer brought in $7,000 this year.

“Boy, when they get that check in hand, it changes them,” Gibbens said.

Originally published Aug. 11, 2005.