Avery McCoy’s hard work pays off at State Fair livestock sale

By Jenny Harnish, RealWV

FAIRLEA W.Va — Avery McCoy has been raising and selling pigs at the State Fair of West Virginia since she was about 9 years old. She became interested after watching her older brother raise them and she wanted to follow in his footsteps. 

Now, at 17, she said taking part in the sale has helped her learn patience, responsibility, and the ability to “talk anyone’s ear off.” 

“Being able to talk to all those businesses and to invite them to the sale is definitely one of the biggest parts of getting the sale going, because without us exhibitors talking to the local businesses, they would not even know about it or be able to come out here.” McCoy said. 

McCoy said she sends out around 10 letters each year to local businesses, inviting them to come to the sale, bid on her animals, and support her fellow livestock exhibitors.

Long hours and months of preparation go into preparing for sale day. This year, McCoy started in March, when she bought Harry at just 4 months old. Her job since then has been preparing him for sale day — getting him on a feeding, bathing, and walking schedule, and getting him used to being around the noises at the fair.

“Getting used to the noises of the fair and other show environments really helps him on the sale day, and just being calm in the arena when it is time to show and sell,” she said. 

“You always have to be willing to get up early and stay late, even when you have other plans, and make sure that the animal has feed, water, and a clean bed to lay in. You definitely have to have patience to do all of this because there are some days that the animal just doesn’t want to work with you, or you had other plans, but something didn’t go right in the barn, so you have to stay late,” McCoy said.

On Monday, her hard work paid off at the State Fair of West Virginia’s 26th Annual Greenbrier/Monroe Youth Livestock Association Sale, her crossbreed pig, Harry, sold for $8 per pound to The Greenbrier.  

Proceeds from the event will be put toward her school funds for college next year and future pigs. 

McCoy said she loves the event for the camaraderie and friendships she’s made with like-minded individuals. 

“For the last five or six years, I’ve been stalled around the same people, and they are all from around two to three hours away from me. We’ve become super close, but the only times I get to see them are at pig shows and at the sale. We share the same passion for the livestock industry, and it’s just really good to have friends and family that are so close and love the same things I do,” she said.