Market report: 4-Hers auction their animals on final day of fair

Published 8:20 am Tuesday, July 16, 2019

ROME TOWNSHIP — The final day of the Lawrence County Fair started by 4-H animal projects being auctioned off to the highest bidder.

The auction represented the end of this year’s hard work for a lot of the 4-Hers. In many instances, they raised the animal since it was young and spent a lot of hours working with the animal so it would do well in judging. A few of the younger kids cried before they entered the show ring, but smiled at potential bidders and held their heads high.

The auction started around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, with Market Hogs.

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First up was Angel Lewis, with Gingham and Denim 4-H Club, and her grand champion, 276-pound hog. It went for $8.50 a pound, a total of $2,346. The purchaser was Feed Stop.

Lewis was happy with the results.

“I appreciate the buyer,” she said. “It was a lot of hard work. I didn’t think I was going to be grand champion so that was exciting.”

As for the money, it is going to be saved for a good education.

Next up, was Blake Neal, of the Greasy Ridge Gang 4-H Club, and his reserve champion, 271-pound hog, which went for $7 a pound, a total of $1, 897. The buyers were Lawrence County Commissioner Freddie Hayes, Lawrence County Commissioner DeAnna Holliday, McDonald’s of Lawrence County, Guy’s Floor Covering, Citizens Deposit Bank, Holliday’s Quik Stop, Central Hardware and Furniture, Bobbi Montgomery for State Representative, Arrick’s Propane, Lambert Law Office, and Jeff Haley For 93rd District State Representative.

He too was happy with the sale price.

“Raising a hog is a lot of hard work,” he said. “You have to walk them so they walk well at the fair, you have to feed them. It’s worth it.”

Next up were the Market Beef.

Marley Ferguson, of Starlite 4-H Club, and her grand champion, 1,332-pound steer. It went for $5.50 a pound for a total of $7,326 to Riverside Recovery Services.

“I’m very happy with the sale. But I am sad to see him go, though, because he is a very good cow,” she said, adding that he was named Oreo.

She said she might get another steer and put some away for her education.

Chad Morris, of Starlite 4-H Club, was next in the ring with his 1,318-pound reserve grand champion steer. It went for $5 a pound, for a total of $6,590, to Jim’s Farm Equipment, Guy’s Floor Covering, Citizens Deposit Bank, Central Hardware and Furniture and Jerry Rowe.

“I’m happy as can be,” he said of the purchase price. “I put in the hard work to take care of these animals, day in and day out, for the better part of a year. It’s just very satisfying to get reserve champion.”

The lambs were next in the ring, with Gracie Daniels, of the Over Yonder 4-H Club of Lawrence County, and her 138-pound grand champion lamb. It went $10 a pound, a total of $1,380, to Guy’s Floor Covering.

“The price was actually pretty good,” she said. “I didn’t expect to get that much. We didn’t rack up our buyers this year. So, it went pretty well.”

She and her brothers put their money in a bank account to go towards college or the purchase of a vehicle.

“We’re not allowed to touch it until we really need it,” she explained.

Next in the market ring was Haley Pancake, of the Over Yonder 4-H Club of Lawrence County, and her 122-pound, reserve champion lamb. It went for $1,342, or $11 a pound, and was purchased by Guy’s Floor Covering, Lawrence County Commissioner DeAnna Holliday and Jerry Rowe.

She agreed that the prices were good but a little down over last year, when she got $21 a pound. But she was happy with the sale.

“The market is down, so there aren’t just as many buyers,” she explained. This was Pancake’s 10th and final year showing at the Lawrence County Fair.

“I had a good 4-H career,” she said, adding she will probably volunteer to help out next year.

In the goat sale, Mary Back, of Farm Hands 4-H Club, got $20 a pound for her grand champion goat. The total was $1,660 and the purchasers were Guy’s Floor Covering, Lawrence County Commissioner Freddie Hayes, McDonald’s of Lawrence County, Jeff Haley For 93rd District State Representative and Larry Kirkpatrick.

“I was very happy with the sale results,” Back said, adding she putting it towards her education. “I was very happy winning grand champion this year.”

Isabella Kerns, of Over Yonder 4-H Club of Lawrence County, also got $20 a pound for her 68-pound, reserve champion goat.

Buyers were McDonald’s of Lawrence County, Lawrence County Commissioner Freddie Hayes, Lawrence County Commissioner DeAnna Holliday, Guy’s Floor Coverings and Generations Propane. The price was $1,360.

Kerns said she was happy to win reserve in the goat class.

“He did really good and I’m just really proud of my goat,” she said. “I’m happy with the auction results.”

In the poultry sales, Wyatt Stallo, of the Greasy Ridge Gang 4-H Club, got $1,200 for his grand champion chicken.

“I was happy with that,” he said. “It’s pure profit, it doesn’t cost a lot to raise a chick. I’m going to put the money in the bank.

The buyers were Lawrence County Treasurer Stephen Dale Burcham, Lawrence County Commissioner DeAnna Holliday and attorney Mark McCown.

Noah Hessler, Symmes Valley FFA, was surprised to get $1,900 for his reserve grand champion chicken.

“I was very impressed,” he said. “I never expected anything like that. I thought it would go for $500-$600.”

He said he plans to use the money towards buying a vehicle.

“I’ve been very happy with this week,” he said. “It’s been the best week of my life.”

The buyers were Kustom Kreams, Guy’s Floor Covering, Mullins Construction, Larry Kirkpatrick, Beverly Wilson Realtor at Bunch Real Estate Associates, Bunch Real Estate, Jim’s Termite and Pest Control, David Walters and Wards Service Center.

In Market Rabbits, Kameron Sarver, of Ranch Hands 4-H Club, sold his grand champion rabbit for $1,300. The buyers were Thoroughbred Construction, Kona Ice of Ashland, SeneGence Skincare, Beverly Wilson Realtor at Bunch Real Estate Associates, Jim’s Termite and Pest Control, Ed Smith candidate, Lambert Law Office, Larry Kirkpatrick, Guy’s Floor Covering, and Holliday’s Quik Stop.

Sarver said he was happy with the sale.

“I wasn’t expecting that much, because this is my first being grand champion,” he said. “I was surprised to win and I’m going to try again next year.”

Bryce Gorby, of Getaway Go-Getters 4-H Club, got $700 for his reserve champion market rabbit.

“Oh, I’m very happy with the amount,” he said. “Heck, it could be $50 bucks and I would be perfectly happy with it.”

The buyers were Guy’s Floor Covering, Larry Kirkpatrick, Thoroughbred Construction, Kona Ice of Ashland, SeneGence Skincare, Lawrence County Commissioner DeAnna Holliday, Bobbi Montgomery for State Representative, Montgomery Machine, Bunch Real Estate Associates, candidate Ed Smith and Generations Propane.