The temperature was 65 to 70 degrees and the weather was beautiful in the mountains near Laramie, Wyo., when former Lyon Countians Dale and Cindy Baysinger left home on a trip to Emporia, where daytime highs were hovering around 100 degrees, and the heat index was even higher.
The Baysingers were mildly tempted to stay home, instead of coming to the Lyon County Free Fair to buy livestock raised by local 4-H’ers.
“Well, that would be the easy thing to do, but the kids are counting on us,” Dale said of their decision to head south. “It’s all about the kids. The kids are the future of the country.”
For the past seven or eight years, the couple has come back to Emporia to reward the 4-H’ers for the work, time, and money invested in their livestock projects. Last year, the Baysingers bought 44 animals.
Dale Baysinger made time Wednesday to talk about the reasons behind their support of 4-H’ers and to encourage others to think about doing the same.
The couples’ involvement in livestock purchases began when Cindy went to the sale during a trip back to visit family members. Dale had to stay home on business, but she called him to talk about her disappointment at the bids made on the children’s livestock.
Cindy, whose maiden name is Spillman, was a member of the Model Boosters 4-H Club as she was growing up on the family farm west of Emporia. Then, premium money received from livestock sales often was saved in the kids’ college funds. But the youngsters Cindy watched sell their animals were getting back precious little for their efforts.
She suggested to Dale that perhaps she should do a little bidding herself, and he readily agreed.
“Then after that, it just escalated,” Dale said. “We felt like kids needed a fair shake. The first year, we only spent $10,000. I think last year, it was up to $22,000.”
The $22,000 bought 44 animals, but bids here could not compare to those drawn by their counterparts in Laramie, where the grand champion steer brought $6,000 and pigs were averaging $2,000 each.
“I don’t think back here, even bidding against myself, I don’t think I’ve paid more than $500 or $600,” he said of his bids on the smaller livestock.
The couple said they would like to see others join them in the effort to raise the premiums received by the 4-H’ers.
“Some of these kids that go off and are very successful should come back — they shouldn’t forget where they came from,” Dale said. “They’re supporting the program, but they’re supporting the kids more than anything.”
The youngsters here, he said, deserve to be rewarded for their efforts.
“I was never fortunate enough to be in a 4-H program when I was here,” Dale said.
Money was tight for his family as he grew up in Hartford. In 1989, he got a job with Glacier Petroleum in the oil fields.
“I started at the bottom, working on oil-field rigs,” he said.
He learned about that aspect of the industry from Jeff Hawes and Tom Throgmorton, he said. Five years later, when one of Glacier’s contractors offered him a job on the production side in Wyoming, the coupled moved.
He later bought into the company and, as the oil market dropped precipitously and the elderly partners or their heirs wanted to sell their stock, the Baysingers bought them out. Eventually, they owned the entire company and changed its name from Incline Reserves to Rock River Operating company.
“That was a gamble,” he said. “It was either make it work or not. What’s amazing is, from the time that we first purchased the company, oil was $9.70 per barrel, and we were losing $3 a barrel. …
“From the time we purchased it, oil’s never stopped going up.”
The couple held a celebration when oil hit $22, and they have been celebrating ever since, by supporting their favorite causes, like the 4-H’ers in Laramie and Lyon County.
“We made a lot of money, and the thing was, we should give some back to things we believed in, and the biggest one was the 4-H thing here,” Baysinger said. “We get so much pleasure out of seeing those kids.”
One of their favorites is Lakin Preisner, whom Baysinger first saw several years ago as she reluctantly led her goat to the sale arena.
“She was crying her eyes out,” Baysinger said. Sale officials sold other animals ahead of hers so she could compose herself enough to go into the arena.
The Baysingers bought Lakin’s goat, paid her premium, and gave the goat back to the girl, who’s now raising that goat’s offspring.
“I’ve been her best friend ever since,” Baysinger said. “She’s just such a go-getter. I love that kid.”
The feeling seems mutual. This year, Lakin sent the Baysingers a gift card from a pizza franchise. The note arrived on Dale’s birthday, July 25, and said, in part: “Hope you like pizza, so on the way back to the sale you can have pizza.”
Lakin can count on them to bid on her livestock entries, and those of a number of other 4-H’ers.
This week, the couple added another commitment to the kids with livestock projects.
Dale was talking with fair official Gregg Gasche and learned that, with Tyson’s closing, the livestock would need to be trucked out of town at a cost of $25 to $35 per head.
The added cost would mean even less money for the youngsters who’d raised them.
“I told him our company would be more than glad to pick up the shipping for the kids,” Dale said.
“I feel like God’s blessed us. God gives you the opportunity. You either take it or you don’t.”
sadinemporia (anonymous) says...
What a great story! I'm not in 4-H and never have been and I don't live on a farm nor have I ever, all I have is a cat. Back to my point, wow, what an impact this couple has made in these kids' lives. Thank you.
August 7, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
navywife (anonymous) says...
God bless you Baysinger family, we are very grateful for your big hearts. Our little 4-H'ers will have enough money in their savings accounts to purchase and feed next years manasury of animals.
August 7, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
What a wonderful story. God bless them for being so generous. I never realized the rabbits and such were sold too. I thought it was just hoof stock. Maybe next year we could buy a bunny for our child. I was never in 4H but friends were and used to get good money. I've heard coworkers complain that you don't even get your investment back on the animals now.
August 7, 2008 at 3:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
How wonderful this couple is to give back to their home community, especially when they live so far away. God Bless them. Yes, they have indeed impacted young lives in a positive way.
August 7, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
what a heart warming story, im also glad Lakin got to keep her goat.
August 7, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawker (anonymous) says...
These are extraordinary people. The great state of Wyoming gained from our loss.
August 7, 2008 at 4:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
The Baysingers are doing something very special and it is not going un-noticed. Although they have been outbid on my children's animals in the three years we have been involved in the 4H auction, they sure have helped to sweeten the pot! It's fun to watch some of the "Business Elite" and Emporia "Rich" folks who thought they were big spenders(or at least wanted us to think so), squirm in their seats trying to compete with Dale's bids. Thank you both for having generous hearts, you are doing a wonderful deed that I hope is copied by others. I have vowed to make some 4H'ers night in a future auction by paying back the gracious support that my kids have received there.
August 7, 2008 at 7:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
whatajoke (anonymous) says...
Outbid??? I think they probably just gave up so someone from Emporia could actually win an auction. Obviously, they have the money to win every single auction if they chose to do so.
August 7, 2008 at 9:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tytollett (anonymous) says...
I was in 4-H when I was younger and that was always a really nice reward when I took my pigs to the sale barn...
August 8, 2008 at 8:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Summer_Breeze (anonymous) says...
This is a wonderful story of true community spirit and generosity. God bless the Baysingers!
August 8, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )