Baker County youths show their pigs the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 5, near the Baker County Fairgrounds.

BAKER CITY — For more than a century the Baker County Fair and the youth-raised livestock that go along with it have been a part of the county’s culture.

While COVID-19 has shut down event after event this year, community members and participants were determined not to let the pandemic dismiss the hard work of 4-H and FFA members in raising and training their animals.

Although the fair this week is not open to the public and does not have its usual attractions, youngsters still have the opportunity to show and sell their pigs, sheep, steers and other animals.

The morning of Wednesday, Aug. 5. youths gathered in a temporary ring at the Leo Adler baseball field near the Fairgrounds to show the swine they raised from piglets.

Thursday the sheep, goats and small animals were display, and Friday the steers entered the ring.

Terri Siddoway, president of the Fair Sale Committee, said while the fair is different, some aspects are familiar.

“The sale part is fairly normal, with the exception of not having all of the buyers in the barn,” Siddoway said.

Recent high school graduate Shane Cunningham, who has shown animals at the fair for nine years, said this year’s event wasn’t like any other he had competed in.

“It’s a lot different obviously with all the restrictions, but I’m still glad we’re able to do it,” he said. “I’m happy we’re still having it and they’re doing as much as possible to make it as normal as possible.”

Madison Yencopal, who will be a sophomore, has been involved in 4-H for four years.

“I really appreciate the leaders this year, I think they’re working ten times harder than they have in the past to make this year as normal and fun as possible,” she said.

Madison Morgan, a 2020 Pine Eagle High School graduate who’ is heading to Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, wants to be a veterinarian.

Morgan said after seven years of raising and showing pigs, she now breeds and shows her own pigs at the fair. While she said that she was disappointed that the showmanship competition was canceled, she was still determined to make the best of it.

“You kind of wish it was different, but you can’t change the circumstances,” Morgan said.

McKenzie Leggett, an incoming senior at Powder Valley High School, said she was happy to have a fair at all. But she’s hopeful that next year’s event will be a full-fledged event.

“I was expecting a virtual fair, but we made a way around it with our masks and pens outside; I’m really glad I get to show this year and that we even get to have a fair,” Leggett said. “But I hope everything goes back to normal, because I do miss the fun of getting to play cards and having the tents and getting to hang out with the other kids.”