Clark County Fair sales going online this year

They will also consist of two parts: auction and add-on.

Beef, goats, chickens, hogs, dairy feeders and steers, lambs, ducks, turkeys and rabbits will be included along with about a dozen pieces of art.

As with the traditional in-person version of the sale, the auction will allow potential buyers to place bids against each other with the sale price going up as long as bids keep coming in and ending when there are no more bids. At a certain time, the auction will move into a countdown mode and run for 30 seconds longer each time a bid is placed until the clock runs out.

The auction will have an option for buyers to split bids among up to four buyers, and the sales managers will work with the winning bidder to coordinate how the bid should be split for billing purposes.

The add-on feature will allow buyers to pledge donations to an exhibitor at a $25 minimum increasing in $5 increments with no maximum.

Fair board member Luke Harbage, who oversaw the organization of the online sale, said the add-on feature replaces multiple-buyer forms that allowed exhibitors to solicit donations prior to the sale.

“It’s the same properties as the multiple-buyer form,” Harbage said. “It allows unlimited buyers to contribute to one person in minimal donations, and the key change is that it’s paperless, touchless and COVID-friendly and that it is initiated by the buyer to get online and register and make the pledge themselves versus the kid having to solicit bids.”

Exhibitors are eligible to enter one project in the sale, which is terminal, and buyers will receive recognition based on amount of purchase, as in the past.

“It’s important note buyers have no claims to the animal at this point,” Harbage said. “The buyers are only going to be bidding premium dollars that are basically a donation, like a GoFundMe. It’s just a donation for the kid to help them cover the cost of administering these projects. These kids work hard, and it creates leadership and creates responsibility and teaches them life lessons. There’s a lot of value in that.”

Those who buy $150 or more will be posted on the fair website and receive a coupon for one pork chop or ribeye steak.

Those making $500 or more in purchases will receive that and be listed on the billboard on the Maine’s Building while the top two buyers in the auction will receive a campsite for next year’s fair free of charge.

Anyone can take part in the sale, but all buyers must register at clarkcoag.com.

The auction opens at 9 a.m. Aug. 3 and runs through 12 p.m. the next day, but the add-ons will be open until 9 a.m. Aug. 10.

How it all plays out is anyone’s guess.

The online auction might lack the communal feel of the traditional in-person event, but there is no physical limit to how many people can take part and anyone anywhere with an internet connection is eligible to join.

That means more people could end up taking part, including those who are regular attendees who might not feel comfortable around crowds as COVID-19 remains a threat to public health.

“It’s a great opportunity to help kids and the community,” said Clark County 4-H director Patty House. “This has been a hard year on kids in general and hard on families, so hopefully we can have a positive come out of this with the community coming together to support our kids.”

Harbage echoed that sentiment.

“It’s a big change so it could go either away, but I think there’s enough compassion that it will give everybody a chance to show their support,” Harbage said.

A physical buyer sheet is available at the fair office for those without internet access who wish to take part in the add-on part of the sale.

Those with questions can call sales management at 937-450-1194 or email jrfairsales@gmail.com.