Rainier High School senior Tyler Kempinski and sophomore Rayanna Wisner celebrated their hard work in FFA by marketing and selling steers at the Thurston County Youth Livestock Auction during the Thurston County Fair, Saturday, Aug. 3. Kempinski’s steer, a 18-month-old purebred shorthorn named Spider-Man that weighed 1,270 pounds, sold for $4.
40 per pound. Kempinski won belt buckle awards for senior fitting and showing, as well as grand champion market steer. Wisner’s steer, a 15-month-old Hereford Charolais cross named Chase that weighed 1,116 pounds, sold for $4.
70 per pound. She took home a belt buckle award for junior fitting and showing. The RHS students raised their cattle themselves so that they could pass the ownership on to the highest bidder on Saturday.
For each student, it was more than a project. “It’s a lot of work. It takes a lot of practice, time and patience with washing, blowing, doing all their maintenance and caring for them,” Kempinski said.
“I wanted him to sell. It wasn’t about just making back what I had, but I’m still going through that exact same experience of raising him and getting the new experiences of raising the steer.” Wisner added that it took a lot of early mornings and late nights in the barn to take care of Chase but that it was a good learning opportunity.
Chase was raised on her grandparents’ farm, so selling him and parting with him after over a year was an emotional moment. “You definitely gain a connection with t.