SOLD! Auctions wrap up Fair
Sunday, July 13, 2008 1:31 AM EDT article source
ROME TOWNSHIP — Chelsey Keathley tied a yellow bow to the tail of her steer Saturday and some flashy pink fashion accents just behind its ears.
The big bovine may have felt downright pretty with those little extras in place. And apparently, the folks at Higgins Chevrolet thought the steer looked good, too.
Higgins bought Keathley’s 1,328-pound steer for $1.50 a pound Saturday at the Lawrence County Junior Fair livestock auction. The Saturday session for large animals and the preceeding one Friday night for small animals together were the culmination of a week of exhibit and livestock judging at the fair and, prior to that, months of hard work and long hours on the part of some of Lawrence County’s youngest farmers.
Austin’s Harper’s grand champion steer, weighing 1,345 pounds sold for $4.10 per pound jointly to Terry’s Mobile Glass, Spice of Life Catering, Rocky Top Raceway and Dr. Andrea Evans of Evans and Associates Pschotherapeutic Services.
Rock Top’s Sharon Evans said she and her family come every year to the fair.
“We’ve always supported 4-H. I was a 4-H advisor for more than 20 years. I have two grandkids with market animals. I just like supporting the kids,” she said.
Dr. Evans agreed.
“I encourage more businesses to support 4-H programs and I applaud those who already do,” Evans said.
The reserve champion steer, raised by Kasey Walker, sold for $2.75 per pound to Rax to Riches.
Kathy Rudolph’s grand champion market lamb, weighing 136 pounds, sold for $10 a pound to Lawrence County Clerk of Courts Les Boggs, Stephens and Son Insurance, Guy’s Floor Covering, Dr. Andrea Evans and the law firm of Lambert, McWhorter and Morris. It was one of many trips for some of those buyers. Guy’s, Evans, Stephens, Boggs, the Lambert law firm, along with Jim Howard and Son, also purchased Kendra Saunders’ reserve champion lamb. They paid $10 per pound for the 128-pound lamb.
Mariah Brock’s reserve champion market goat, weighing 90 pounds, sold for $12 a pound to Cooke’s Farm Center while Jimmy Matney’s grand champion market goat, weighing 88 pounds, sold for $20 a pound to Lawrence County Commissioner Tanner Heaberlin, commission candidate Wayne Pennington, Commissioner Doug Malone, recorder candidate Susan Sheridan, Lawrence County Treasurer Stephen Dale Burcham, coroner candidate Portia Canos, clerks of courts candidate Mike Patterson and State Rep. Todd Book.
If it is her first time seeking elective office, it is also Canos’ first time holding up that number sign as a bidder at the fair.
“I’ll be back, she said as she briefly left the livestock arena. “I want to bid on one of the hogs, too.”
Her competitor for the coroner’s office, Dr. Kurt Hofmann, lined with a group of friends to buy the grand champion market hog. Veterinarian Mike Dyer, Lawrence County Commissioner Jason Stephens, Boggs, clerk of courts candidate Cheryl Jenkins, Lawrence County Recorder Sharon Gossett Hager and treasurer candidate Perry Brock teamed up with Hofmann to purchase Dustin Wilson’s 270-pound hog. The purchase price: $7 per pound.
The reserve champion hog, raised by Curtis Lybrand, was also sold for $7 a pound to Canos, Heaberlin, Pennington, Burcham and Shane Meldick, who is running for 87th district state representative.
In the Friday auctions, the market chicken grand champion, raised by Tony Wilson of the Dog Fork Haymakers, went for $1,150 to Cook’s Farm Center in Ironton.
“I’m pretty excited,” said Wilson. “It was a little more than I expected.”
As for raising a champion chicken, Wilson said it was a matter of the right feed and to work with them.
The market chicken reserve champion, raised by Dakota Barnett of the Country Rebels, went for $1,000 to Ultimate Health Care.
In market tobacco, the grand champion crop raised by Dustin Wilson of Symmes Valley FFA, went for $650 to U.S. Bank. The reserve champion tobacco crop, raised by Joshua Johnson of Symmes Valley FFA, went to Guy’s Floor Covering, Les Boggs, and the law firm of Lambert, McWhorter and Morris.
In market rabbits, the grand champion rabbit, raised by Kalyn Haas of Kitts Hill Willing Workers, went for $2,000 to the Lawrence County Republican officeholders and candidates. The reserve champion rabbit, raised by Kristen Estep of the Scottown Farmers and Farmerettes, went for $1,100 to the Lawrence County Democratic officeholders and candidates.
Estep said to have a winning rabbit was a matter of picking the right one.
As for getting over a thousand dollars for a rabbit, “I’m glad it’s a political year,” she said.
Some kids who sold their 4-H projects found the end to be much more distressing than the beginning.
At the beginning of the process, they chose a cuddly bunny or gangly goat and proceeded to nurture it. By the time of the auction, some looked as if they would rather run away with their animal than stand in the arena.
After all, a sale means goodbye to an animal they put their heart — and sweat equity — into. However, other youths seemed relieved to sell their animal to recoup a little of the money spent raising the animal.
Kelsie Myers said she and her brother, Cody, who both raised steers, have plans for the money. Kelsie needs a laptop for college classes she will be taking and wouldn’t mind squeezing a Wii out of her profits. Cody, she said, would sure like some OSU game tickets.
“And we’ll save some of the money, too,” she said.
Olivia Brock, who raised a goat, said some of her earnings will also save money for college expenses. She thanked Scott Goodwin at Little Caesar’s in South Point, who is also her boss, for buying her goat.
4-H members had an option of not selling their animals market feeder steers. Those who opt to keep their bovine have a chance to bring them back next year.