Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
CLOVIS - A cacophony of snorting pigs, bleating sheep and squawking chickens filled the air of the Curry County Fairgrounds livestock pens on Monday as participants of the Junior Livestock Auction registered farm animals of every shape and size to show during fair week.
The auction itself takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, but until then, competitors will be busy keeping their entries groomed, fed and cooled off before parading them in front of potential buyers.
Danny Crowley and his children, Elyza and Wyatt, from Broadview have been attending the auction for the past four years, starting first with rabbits and chickens and working their way up to sheep this year.
"I got them into it because it's a good experience," Danny Crowley said. "I wanted them to have the same experience I had growing up."
Elyza and Wyatt said they love taking care of the animals, but it can be a lot of work. They need to wake up early each morning throughout the year to feed the animals and then get them to show once the fair rolls around.
The Crowleys hope to sell their sheep at the Friday auction and don't intend to travel for any more fairs if they don't.
Madison Garrett from Melrose is in her second year and started raising pigs after starting out with rabbits last year.
"It's really brought the family together," said Jennifer Garrett, Madison's adoptive mother. "Her brother, her grandfather, father and myself are all involved. We did it when we were growing up and when we adopted Madison and her brother; we wanted them to enjoy it too. We wanted them to experience this too."
Madison said her agriculture teacher showed her a pig after last year's competition and she was immediately interested in raising one herself.
She kept busy tending to her pigs on Monday, keeping them brushed, taking them out for a short run and making sure to sprinkle some water on their backs periodically to help with the summer heat.
It's nearly a year-round project, with a lot of different elements to keep track of.
"Trying to get their feed correct so they gain weight, trying to figure out how to fix medical problems as fast as you can, making sure they make weight and clipping them," Madison said.
On Friday, Madison will show the pigs at the auction and see if she can find a buyer. If not, Jennifer Garrett said the family might go to a few other nearby fairs like Albuquerque and, if that fails, find someone local or a family friend to sell them to.