Record Sales at Porter County Boost Total by $20,000
Published: Friday, August 2, 2019
Porter County 4-H Celebration Sale bidders are an enthusiastic bunch. As bids climb toward records amounts, cow bells ring and hands clap loudly to encourage participants to outbid each other. As a result, 14 records were broken at the auction held last Thursday in Valparaiso.
These record sales helped boost the auction totals by about $20,000 more than the 2018 sale and even beat the 2017 amount by $2,000. The auction brought in $402,290 on 347 lots. The total number of lots and price paid for each species is as follows: 13 dairy steers, $37,473; 24 goats, $14,300; 16 poultry, $13,650; 4 rabbit, $2,450; 55 sheep, $35,928; 51 steers, $169,274; dairy beef, $31,122.50; and 184 swine $119,611. These numbers also include group sales for some species.
One of those 4-H members benefitting from the record-breaking bidding was Rain Walker of La Crosse. Lakeshore Bone and Joint tendered the highest bid of $12 per pound, or $16,500, for the 1,380-pound grand champion Charolais steer. Her steer was one of many animals donated to the Northwest Indiana Food Bank.
The reserve grand was a 1350-pound crossbred, shown by Owen Bollenbacher of Walkerton. Friends and Family of Owen Bollenbacher paid $20,250 ($15 per pound).
Rain Walker also had the champion pair of meat geese and reserve champion duck. Friends and Family of Rain Walker bought the geese for $1,850 and the duck for $1,400.
Other poultry brought in hefty paychecks for their owners. Ethan Lucas of Valparaiso exhibited both the champion broiler and roaster chickens. His broilers sold to First Source Bank for $950 while the roasters sold for $550 to Connie Rudd Hannon, BTHB Law, Rudd Asset Management and Marian Dick. He also showed the reserve champion broiler and roaster. The broiler was sold to Kettleson Family Farms for $550, and the roaster was sold in memory of Carl Lucas for $600.
Another double winner was Kristen O'Dell of Valparaiso. She showed both the champion bronze and champion white turkeys. The bronze bird was sold to LaPorte Animal Hospital, Meyer Veterinary Hospital and Porter County Pet Clinic for $700. Sharp School Services paid $600 for the white turkey.
Two brothers, Carter and Nathan Stoner of Valparaiso, each exhibited one of the reserve grand champion turkeys. Carter's turkey was sold to First Source bank for $1,150 and Nathan's bird was bought by Thorgren Tool and Molding for $1,200.
Crown Point 4-H member Nate Krause sold his champion meat ducks to Dr. Lonnie Ailes for $650. Belstra Milling and Bloom Animal Clinic purchased the grand champion dozen eggs as well as a basket of breakfast goodies from Caleb Hajek of Valparaiso for $550. The reserve grand dozen eggs was exhibited by Reagan Weitzel and sold to Kraft Auction Service for $1,000.
Dynamic Metal Recycling bought the 255-pound grand champion pig from Devon Klemp of Kouts for $5,100, or $20 per pound. The reserve champion 275- pound Duroc, owned by Emily Hawkins of Westville was sold to Friends and Family of Emily Hawkins for $3,987.50 ($14.50 per pound).
The grand champion meat pen of rabbits, exhibited by Greta Pressel of Valparaiso, was auctioned off to Brief Media and Morgan Twp. Buyer's Group for $700. Her sister, Anna Pressel, sold the reserve champion meat pen to Sharp School Services for $650. Anna also showed the grand champion rabbit carcass and received $600 from Morgan Twp. Buyer's Group. First Source Bank and Belstra Milling bought the reserve for $500 from Megan Krzyzankowski of North Judson.
A Holstein steer was the winning dairy beef animal. The grand champion, owned by Cody Boone of Kouts, weighed in at 1,355 pounds and was sold to Friends of 4-H and Will Bee Farms LLC for $2,700 (two per pound). Megan Teitge of Kouts showed the reserve champion and sold her animal to Friends of Morgan Twp. Buyer's Group for $1,287 ($1.50 per pound).
The champion dairy 4-H members sell representative dairy products in the auction. Brook Wilson of Valparaiso exhibited the grand champion cow and reserve grand Brown Swiss as well as the reserve Ayrshire. Wilson received $1,600 for her grand champion from Porter County Republicans. North Porter County Buyer's Group bought both of her reserves for $500 each.
Emma Spears of Kouts also showed a reserve and a grand champion dairy cow. State Rep. Ed Soliday spent $1,750 for her grand champion Ayrshire and $1,000 for her reserve champion Holstein. Stephanie Boone of Kouts won grand champion Holstein with her 3-year-old cow. Porter County Republicans paid Boone $1,000 in support.
Mark Good Construction paid $450 for Lane Banks' 75-pound grand champion dairy goat wether. Banks is from Wanatah. The reserve was shown by Lane's brother, Tyler. Tyler's goat was bought by the Chickadaunce family and Metzger Farms for $500.
The grand champion meat goat wether sold to Friends and Family of Addison Metzger for $2,100. Addison Metzger of Valparaiso showed the 85-pound animal. Morgan Twp. Buyer's Group bought David King's 84-pound reserve champion for $700. King is also from Valparaiso.
KM Plant Services bought the grand champion 137-pound market lamb of Emma Rhodes of Valparaiso for $1,164.50. Another Valparaiso 4-H member, Shiloh DeBoard, exhibited the reserve lamb, which weighed 141 pounds. The lamb was sold for $845 ($6 a pound) to Friends of 4-H and Porter County Health Care System.
Return to Top of Page