ROME TOWNSHIP— At the conclusion of last week’s animal shows, the small animals and tobacco went to auction Friday evening.

County Fair Board president Randall Lambert gave a welcome before recognizing those 4-Hers who raised chickens and couldn’t have a standard animal show due to poultry being banned at fairs this year in Ohio. Each 4-Her who had a chicken was compensated $300 by the county commissioners and Lawrence County Clerk of Courts, Mike Patterson.

“The commissioners got together with Mike Patterson and decided $300 was the best average for the kids that raised chickens,” commissioner Freddie Hayes Jr. said.

Tobacco led off the auction with grand champion Griffin Fuller’s crop first up for bid.

Fuller is a member of the Gingham and Denim 4-H club.

The bidding for the first item concluded as the grand champion tobacco was purchased for $900 by Lawrence County Commissioners Freddie Hayes Jr. and Les Boggs, J.L. Nick and Tim Glockner of Glockner Ford in South Point and Brett Guy from Guy’s Floor Covering.

Reserve champion tobacco winner, Carl “Alec” Skeens, of the Arabia All Stars 4-H club, was next up showing his crop, which was auctioned off for $800. Bidders were Chad Scott and Sean and DeAnna Holliday from Generations Propane and Ryan and Angie Sells from Cooke’s Farm Center.

Cody Bragg of the Getaway Go-Getters 4-H club was this year’s rabbit grand champion as his rabbit was auctioned off for $2,400 and sold to J.L. Nick and Tim Glockner, Jim Worley, Brett Guy, Larry Kirkpatrick, and Freddie Hayes Jr.

This year’s reserve champion rabbit was raised by Bryce Whitehead of the Symmes Valley FFA 4-H club and auctioned for $1,600. Bidders for the reserve champion rabbit were Ray Ferrell, Jerry Stephens, Jason Stephens and Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless.

All bids that concluded the day were bumped up to $225 by Cooke’s Farm Center if they were below that number.

“It means everything in the world to be able to help out the kids,” Hayes said. “These kids are the main reason for the fair.”