It’s true that Park County goes above and beyond to support its youth. But what happened Saturday was truly exceptional.

In a crowded barn, local kids and teens led their livestock into the ring as buyers bid on animal after animal, until all 248 were sold — to the tune of $645,442.

The previous record was $457,430, set last year. Not only did Saturday’s sale reach the half-million mark for the first time in Park County’s history, it blew right by and kept on climbing.

The record-shattering sale sends a clear message to local youth: We care about you, and your hard work matters.

Throughout the year, FFA and 4-H youth spend many hours learning about service, loyalty, leadership, agricultural heritage, responsibility, communication and other important lessons. Their projects involve a lot of work — from early mornings to late nights and all hours in between.

For kids and teens involved in 4-H and FFA, the Park County Fair isn’t just about carnival rides, concerts or socializing. Instead, it’s their chance to show their prized lambs, goats, hogs, steers, rabbits and other animals they’ve worked so hard to care for this year. These youth invest time, money, sweat and tears into their livestock.

It all paid off at Saturday’s Junior Livestock Sale as buyers and volunteers stepped up to recognize and reward hard-working youth of Park County.

The annual sale is orchestrated by volunteers who put in countless hours of their own throughout the year. Much of the work is done behind the scenes as dedicated volunteers ensure 4-H and FFA youth have the opportunity to sell their animals at the Park County Fair. Their efforts don’t go unnoticed.

It’s also worth recognizing the buyers from Powell, Cody, Meeteetse and communities around the region. Buyers faithfully show up at the Junior Livestock Sale every year, ensuring no kid goes away empty-handed.

At Saturday’s auction, sales stayed strong from the beginning to end, with average prices up across the board. To understand how generous buyers are, just look at how the average price for a rabbit jumped nearly 48% from last year. On average, rabbits fetched an unprecedented $758 apiece, with multiple bunnies selling for over $1,000. As prices for large animals escalated, buyers wanted to utilize their budgets and put their money toward rabbits.

Buyers are trying to give money to the kids, “so at the end of the day, they want that budget spent,” said Joe Bridges, chairman of the sale committee. “They’re there with one thing in mind and that’s to help the kids.”

The Junior Livestock Sale doesn’t happen — let alone reach $645,442 — without faithful buyers stepping up.

That’s why it is important for us, as a community, to show up for these local businesses, too. When you look through the list of supporters for the Junior Livestock Sale, you’ll recognize a lot of names. That’s because they’re the businesses in our communities and the individuals who live here. You won’t see representatives from Amazon bidding on animals at the Park County Junior Livestock Sale. But you will see plenty of locally owned and operated businesses investing in Park County youth.

As you make purchases of your own, remember to support the local businesses that support our community.