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 them because you’re with them for so long. It’s hard, but at the end of the day, it’s part of life,” Wisner said. “Raising steers is not the only thing I know but it’s definitely something I feel comfortable doing and have a passion for.”
Kempinski’s family also raises steers and appreciates the opportunity with FFA to pursue his passions. His sister, Leah, also sold a steer during the auction.
“My family does it, so we’ve been in it for a while, and we’ve been able to gain the confidence to start doing better,” Kempinski said of his and his sister’s success at the auction. “I want to push more into it because when you achieve stuff, you want to keep moving up.”
Angie Karnes, Rainier’s FFA advisor, said she was proud of how Wisner and Kempinski interacted with fellow auction participants and visitors in the barn.
“In the barn this week, these guys have been role models. Other students come up and ask them what they’re feeding them and what the work is because they’ve got beautiful animals. You can tell they’ve really been worked with,” Karnes said. I’m so proud as a teacher to have students that have really taken this on themselves. This is their project. They have really garnered the respect of a lot of the younger members.”
