When Alyssa Myers saw a judge tap the back of her 8-month-old dairy beef steer, it took her a second to realize what it meant.

But then she understood: Her animal had just been chosen as this year’s grand champion in the 4-H Livestock Club’s dairy beef category.

“It was the best feeling in the world,” said Myers, 15.

That was last Wednesday.

On Saturday, Myers took that same steer — named Lilo — and strutted him around a pen at the Carbon County Fair. 4-Hers had more than 70 animals up for auction at the organization’s 2019 livestock sale.

As Myers led Lilo around the pen, auctioneer Tim Houser fielded bids from either side of the crowd. His hand shot from bidder to bidder, until one made an offer that would not be outdone: $1,600.

“It was the most money I ever received for a dairy beef,” Myers said.

More than 30 club members participated in last weekend’s auction, Georgia Farrow, 4-H program assistant for Carbon County, said. ‘They have to work with them, so they can control them within those rings,” she said.

Kaylee Shoenberger, 9, stands but a few feet tall. Still, she led her near-600 pound steer, Dinkles, like a pro. It was Shoenberger’s second year participating in the sale.

“I’ve been addicted to calves ever since I was really young,” Shoenberger said.

She started raising Dinkles in January, so she has “a really strong connection (with) him,” Shoenberger says while the animal playfully chews her hand, covering it in slobber.

“I really liked, in the beginning, walking him,” Shoenberger said. “He would always walk slower than me.”

And while she will miss him after the sale, Shoenberger said she is already looking forward to next year’s auction.

“It’s really fun raising them,” she said.

But for Alex Hawk, who has been a part of the program for almost a decade, the 2020 sale will be a bittersweet one. It will be the 18-year-old’s last time showing for 4-H.

“It won’t be the same though without coming down here,” Hawk says as he put away one of his show sheep. Two of Hawk’s animals, both sheep, took the grand champion and reserve champion titles.

The hard work of Saturday’s sellers — some of whom come from farming families — earns them more than just ribbons and bows, according to Farrow. It gives them a chance to learn the ins and outs of a vital industry.

“Let’s put it this way: If we didn’t have kids raising food, or even farmers doing food, what would we eat? Agriculture is very important,” Farrow said.

“You can’t just go to the grocery store and pick a container of milk out of the fridge. Somebody has to have a dairy cow that produced an offspring that they can milk.”