Grand Champion Lamb Brings $7,700 at Branch County Fair
Published: Friday, August 19, 2022
First-year 4-H'er Harper Herman capped off a big week at the Branch County Fair by selling her grand champion market lamb in last Friday's auction for $7,700.
A support group consisting of 24 buyers (see list at end of story) paid the equivalent of $54.61 a pound for the 141-pound lamb.
Earlier in the week, Herman, who is from Union City, exhibited the supreme champion breeding ewe and won the 8-year-old sheep showmanship contest.
The grand total from last week's large and small animal auctions in Coldwater was $427,897.03. That is up significantly from last year's $394,409.60.
Last Friday's large animal auction generated $309,847.03.
Standing behind Herman in the sheep auction was Alexis Reif of Allen. She sold her 140-pound reserve champion market lamb for $1,000 ($7.14 a pound) to Presley Precision Inc. Skilled Trade Service.
In the swine sale, Colin Smith of Bronson sold his grand champion market hog for $5,500 ($21 a pound) to Presley Precision Inc. Skilled Trade Service. Smith's hog weighed 262 pounds.
Next was the 282-pound reserve champion market hog shown by Murcie Wallen of Union City. Prior to the sale, it was announced that Wallen would be donating 100 percent of the proceeds back to the swine barn for improvements. Buyers (see list) responded in a big way, contributing $11,075. That equates to $39.27 a pound.
When asked why she was passing up an opportunity to pocket some cash, Wallen responded by saying that the livestock industry has given her so much during her six years in 4-H, and that she wanted to give back.
Katrina Howe of Athens captured the grand champion banner in the beef show and earned the right to sell first in the beef auction. She parted ways with her grand champion steer for $5,000 ($3.95 a pound). Two buyers, Yesh Metals of Sherwood and Pine Ridge Farm Services of Athens, had the high bid on the 1,267-pound steer.
Ava Hathaway of Coldwater auctioned off her 1,285-pound reserve champion beef steer, earning $7,500 ($5.84 a pound). The buyers included: Pine Ridge Farm Services, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, IDEXX, Oak Prairie Farms, Ceres Solutions, Great Lakes Sire Service, Wonders Repair & Fab, Van Vorst Farms, Brewer Refrigeration Air Conditioning & Heating, Kendale Farm, Andersons of Albion, Bucklin Family Dentistry, Bracy Show Cattle, Spartanwood Sow Farm, and In Loving Memory of Ryzer Poindexter.
Miles Losinki sold his grand champion dairy steer, which weighed 1,359 pounds, for $3,500 ($2.58 a pound) to Oak Prairie Farms. With the reserve champion dairy steer, Bennett Pierucki of Bronson received $2,600 ($1.76 a pound) from Yesh Metals. His steer weighed 1,475 pounds.
Four-H dairy exhibitors appeared in the ring to collect donations for the Branch County Dairy Organization. They will receive a portion of the donations. The balance will fund educational activities and the annual trip to Dairy Days to compete in dairy judging and quiz bowl competition. Donations totaled $19,210. This year's grand champion dairy exhibitors are: Garrett Gruner, Brown Swiss; Paige Wineland, Milking Shorthorn; Kelsey Gruner, Guernsey; Mackenzie Sickels, Ayrshire; Max Hughes, Jersey; and Austin Preston, Holstein.
In goats, the grand champion meat show exhibited by Lexis Fleming of Tekonsha sold for $725. The high bid came from Blatter Better Bid Construction. Carter Pish of Bronson sold the reserve champion meat goat for $600 to Clemens Food Group.
Two sisters, Charlotte and Alexis Dickens of Jonesville, brought the top two dairy wethers. Charlotte sold the grand champion for $400 to Crystal Flash, and Alexis sold the reserve champion for $425 to Moore Trucking.
Subtotals, by species, were: swine, $133,405.03; beef, $78,132; lambs, $45,400; goats, $16,650; milk, $19,210; and swine barn updates, $17,050.
In last Thursday's small animal auction, youths earned $118,050.
Kayley Harvey of Athens led the way with her grand champion starter calf. The calf, which weighed 598 pounds, brought $1,200 from Shady Sycamore Farms.
Maddie Shilling of Quincy auctioned off her reserve champion starter calf to a support group for $2,600. The supporters included: Miller Poultry, Crystal Flash, Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, Jerry and Darlene Morgan, Century Bank & Trust, Shipshewana Livestock, Family Farm & Home, John Shilling, Bracy Ag Services, Strawberry Ridge Farm, and Nutrien Ag Services of Reading. Her calf weighed 534 pounds.
In turkeys, the grand champion belonging to Wyatt Wood of Burr Oak sold for $500 to Family Farm and Home. Gavin Gruner of Coldwater earned $650 from SOS Services for his reserve champion turkey.
In chickens, the Feltner siblings of Union City swept the top two spots in the light chicken division. Dreden sold the grand champion pen for $400 to Southern Michigan Bank and Trust, and Makiya received $325 from Matt Haylett Homes for the reserve champion pen.
Grace Clancy of Quincy was the winner in the medium chicken division. She sold her grand champion for $450 to Dawn Greene. Josilyn Parker of Coldwater earned $525 for the reserve champion.
In the heavyweight division, Garrett Johns of Coldwater received $375 from Murphy Farms for his grand champion chicken. Clancy was next with the reserve champion. She earned $400 from Southern Michigan Bank and Trust.
Landen Foster of Coldwater exhibited the grand champion market duck, which fetched $275 from Moore Trucking. Haylie Foster, also of Coldwater, sold the reserve champion duck for $150 to Traskos Enterprises.
Elizabeth Schragg of Coldwater earned $500 from the sale of her grand champion market goose. The buyer was Avra Homes of Quincy. Gruner sold the reserve champion geese for $550 to Gene and Marianne Sickels.
In rabbits, Kylie Bolenbaugh of Coldwater sold the grand champion singer fryer for $200 to Ron and Brandie Sours. Colton Fleming, also of Coldwater, received $200 from Southern Marsh Realty for his reserve champion fryer.
Noah Himebaugh of Bronson sold the grand champion single roaster for $125 to Jerry and Darlene Morgan. Tyler White of Quincy received $175 for the reserve champion from Avra Homes.
Noah Counterman of Union City received $275 from Stillwell Ford Lincoln for his grand champion stewer rabbit. Monica Arver of Bronson was next with the reserve champion stewer. She received $400 from M&M Core LLC.
James Makenzie of Jonesville sold the grand champion pen of fryers for $425 to Litchfield Grain. In the reserve champion spot was Lexie Stump of Camden. She earned $350 for her pen from Clabaugh Genetics and Family Time Rentals.
Subtotals, by species, were: starter calves, $84,800; rabbits, $13,950; turkeys, $9,375; chickens, $4,475; ducks, $3,450; and geese, $2,000.
Support Groups
• Grand Champion market Lamb: Herman Show Feeds, Courtesy Car & Truck, Scott Fair Agency/Farm Bureau Insurance, Ceres Solutions, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Solutions Tool & Gage, Advanced Farm Supply, Warner Oil Co., Dove Ag Services Inc., Jack's Family Food Pride, Pine Ridge Farm Services, Andersons of Albion, B&M Crop Consulting, Schrader family/Schrader Livestock, McDonnall's Harvester & Parts, Dally Tire, Shiery Livestock, Tyler and Amber Armstrong, State Line Cryogenics LLC, Mark and Becky Harwell, Ashley Cook/Farmers Insurance, Brenden McCarthy/Edward Jones, Jim and Beth Herman, and Co-Alliance of Frankfort, Ind.
• Reserve champion market hog: Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye Agency, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Dove Ag Services Inc., Wallen Farms, Countryside Quality Meats, Albright Swine Farm, Albright Pork Enterprises, Pine Ridge Farm Services Inc., AcMoody Farms, LTW Apparel, Clemens Food Group, Hoffman Ag Services Inc., Tyler and Amber Armstrong, Yesh Metals, and the law firm of Bird, Scheske, Reed and Beemer.
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