Not your typical livestock buyer

CANTON, Ohio — Prospective buyers came to the Stark County Fair livestock auction Sept. 2 to support the young 4-H and FFA members who worked hard over the summer to get their projects ready for the fair.

When Christian Pernell sold his reserve champion rabbit meat pen to Snyder Show Cattle, 14-year-old Chase Snyder came forward to shake Pernell’s hand.

“I was so surprised when he asked me if he could use his money to support another 4-H’er,” said Vonda Snyder, Chase’s grandmother. “I was just so proud of him.”

Snyder wasn’t just representing Snyder Show Cattle; he is the owner. A  member of Hollow Valley Herdsman 4-H club, Snyder recognizes the value of programs like 4-H and wanted to show his support for a fellow member.

“I just wanted to give back. Everyone in this program has supported me and got me to where I am, I decided I had gotten far enough along in my business that I wanted to give back,” he said.

Snyder started his show cattle business two years ago on his own. His grandparents have a small commercial beef operation in Navarre, Ohio, but Vonda Snyder said, “Chase wanted to do his own thing. He started his own little herd; he wanted to raise club calves.”

She said she and her husband are pretty hands off when it comes to Snyder’s herd.

“He asks for our advice before he makes a decision about his herd, but he does all the research and makes the final decisions,” she said.

Snyder has a mix of cattle including Simmental, Maine Anjou and Shorthorns, but mostly focuses on crossbreeds. He determines what bulls will breed best with his current stock.

His hard work has paid off at the Stark County Fair this year as he received grand champion overall for his Simmental bull, reserve champion with his Simmental heifer and took third place in his junior fair steer show class.

Snyder does occasionally sell some of his stock to other 4-H members. Last year, a steer he sold placed third in its class at the Portage County Fair and a feeder calf he sold last year took reserve champion steer at the Carroll County Fair this year.