WOODSTOCK – The day after competition closes, 4-H’ers at the McHenry County Fair find out how much their hard work was worth.

The fair’s annual 4-H livestock auction is a bittersweet event for some. On one hand, it’s a chance for the kids to finally see a return on their hefty investment of time and money. On the other, it’s not always easy to say goodbye.

“For the first few years, I’d get attached to them and be sad to see them go,” said Meredith Ziller, 17, of Huntley, a 10-year veteran of the 4-H program. “But in the end, I’d see people happy they got a quality product, so it’d make me happy.”