Howe Pockets $10,000 at Branch County Auction
Published: Friday, August 15, 2025
Branch County youth exhibitors earned $761,249 over two days last week in Coldwater. The total includes $326,899 from last Thursday's small animal auction and $434,350 from last Friday's large animal auction. The number of lots totaled 749.
Alia Howe of Athens received $10,000 for her grand champion beef steer. The 1,435-pound was purchased by Hoath Auto, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Pine Ridge Farm Services Inc., AcMoody Farms, Bronson Veterinary Service, Calvary Supply Integrated, LTW Apparel, Farm Bureau Insurance/Jerrid Hisler Agency, Yoder Family Farms, N-Tech Enterprises LLC, Rockin H Farms, Brandt and State Rep. Jennifer Wortz.
Standing in the reserve champion position was Kori Musgrove of Coldwater. She sold her 1,475-pound steer for $4,900 to Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye Agency.
In the dairy beef auction, Joseph Fair of Bronson sold his 1,555-pound grand champion for $3,700 to Reichhart Cattle Co., J&L Market and CMCC Armed Security. The reserve champion, shown by Cassidy Teadt, brought $4,500 from Yesh Metals.
In swine, the 246-pound grand champion market hog belonging to Natalie Albright of Coldwater fetched $5,500. The high bid came from Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, Farm Bureau Insurance/Scott Fair Agency, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Wonders Repair & Fab, Pridgeon Farms, Advanced Farm Supply, Bracy Ag Services, Albright Swine Farms, AcMoody Farms, Diller Trucking, Nutrien Ag Solutions of Reading, Crystal Flash, Jake and Rebecca Bildner, Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye Agency, Carleton Equipment Co., Barnes & Sons Trucking, Wilber Auto Parts, Farm Marketing Solutions LLC, Neusbaum Showpigs and Farmers First Insurance Agency.
Mitchell Graham of East Leroy sold the 243-pound reserve champion market hog for $3,350 to a support group (see list at end of story).
In sheep, Alexa Graham of East Leroy exhibited the grand champion wether and received $2,675 from a support group (see list). Her lamb weighed 142 pounds. Next in the ring was the reserve champion market lamb shown by Alexis Reif of Quincy. She received $1,100 from Clabaugh Genetics/Family Time Rentals, Mel Oliver, Keystone Cooperative, Sugarbush Cattle Inc., Stoney Acres Farms, A1 Concrete Leveling & Foundation Repair, Studio 17 Salon, AcMoody Show Pigs, Parshall Heating & Cooling, Mark Taylor and Rebecca's Daycare.
For $3,000, Lexis Fleming of Tekonsha sold her grand champion meat goat to Kevin Klingaman of Double K LLC. The reserve champion meat goat shown by Sydney Fowler of Montgomery brought $1,900, courtesy of Nutrien Ag Solutions of Reading, Ben and Lindsey Vainner, Clemens Food Group, Central Grace Farms, In Loving Memory of Ryzer Poindexter, Southern Marsh Realty/Angie Marsh, E&S Sales/Country Road Shoes, Wilczynski Farms, Reichhart Cattle Co./California Cannabis, Wild Roots Cleaning Co. and Wilcor Electric.
Alexis Pierucki of Bronson led the way in the dairy wether show, selling her grand champion for $575 to Yesh Metals. Olivia Ferry of Bronson sold her reserve champion dairy wether for $475 to Sturgis Bank & Trust.
In the gallon of milk sale, dairy exhibitors raised $21,005 for the dairy program and activities. Grand champion exhibitors were: Alec Preston, Jersey and Holstein; Paige Wineland, Ayrshire; Kelsey Gruner, Guernsey; Lucas Dooley, Brown Swiss; and Gavin Gruner, Any Other Breed.
In the small animal auction, Connin Mckya sold the grand champion dairy starter calf for $3,100 to Toth Trucking. Audrey Thornburg, who served as this year's fair queen, exhibited the reserve champion starter calf. LTW Apparel had the high bid of $3,000.
In rabbits, Noah Counterman sold his grand champion pen of fryers for $450 to David Counterman. Bryce Teadt also received $450 for his reserve champion fryers. The buyer was Tyler Losinski of Ayres Insurance.
Tyler White sold his grand champion single fryer for $350 to Branch Insurance Agency Inc. Kylee Longardner was next with the reserve champion fryer. She received $175 from David Counterman.
Exhibiting the grand champion single roaster, Cora Smith earned $400 from Top Shelf Welding. Alivia Couch sold the reserve champion roaster for $200 to Kies Farms LLC.
Payton Spieth sold the grand champion single stewer for $2,000 to Litchfield Grain, Clemens Food Group, Plank Cage & Supply, Southern Marsh Realty/Angie Marsh, Michigan Horse Shoeing Institute, Woody's Western Wear, A&K Rabbitry, Spieth Performance Horses, Walmart Super Center and Cook Family Trucking.
Belson Farms paid $1,100 for the reserve champion stewer shown by Kaydence Pierucki.
In poultry, Dreden Feltner sold his grand champion heavyweight chickens for $1,100 to a support group (see list). Zachary Danbury earned $275 from the sale of his reserve champion chickens. The buyer was Reichhart Cattle Co.
Luke Clancy sold his grand champion mediumweight meat chickens for $200 to Ayres Insurance, Rampit USA Inc. and All-American Ramp Rental. Elijah Clancy was next with the reserve champion chickens. He earned $200 from Rampit USA Inc. and All-American Ramp Rental.
Exhibiting the lightweight meat chickens, Matilda Jensen received $300 from Stillwell Ford Lincoln. Giuliana Barone sold the reserve champion chickens for $500 to Pell's Tire Service.
Mason Kaiser sold the grand champion ducks for $600 to Vining Flower Farms LLC. Caleb Wendorf sold the reserve champion ducks for $450 to Reichhart Cattle Co.
For the price of $500, Landen Clabaugh auctioned off his grand champion geese to Jason Trott, Boundless Solutions Counseling LLC/Suzanne Pish, Rod Fair, Adam and Alyssa Blonde, KB Insulation, Century Bank & Trust, Central Grace Farms, LTW Apparel, Matt Haylett Homes, AcMoody Show Pigs, Rebecca's Daycare, Avery Building and Barns of Coldwater.
Adam Foster Jr. sold the reserve champion geese for $200 to Wilczynski Farms.
In turkeys, Veronica Bir and Natalie Taylor had the grand and reserve champions, respectively. Bir sold her turkeys for $550 to Jerry and Darlene Morgan, while Taylor sold her turkeys for $300 to Wilcor Electric and Studio 17 Salon.
Species subtotals are: 117 dairy starter calves, $247,549; 32 dairy steers, $114,025; 145 hogs, $112,225; 22 beef steers, $100,950; 72 sheep, $60,675; 68 goats, $46,475; 117 rabbit pens, $30,275; 70 chicken pens, $17,500; 43 turkeys, $16,925; 60 ducks, $13,700; 3 geese, $950. Donations for the dairy program totaled $21,005, and donations for the goat program amounted to $9,675.
Support Groups
• Mitchell Graham: Pridgeon Farms, Advanced Farm Supply, AcMoody Farms, Bronson Veterinary Service, Dunks Farm, Crystal Flash, Bucklin Family Dentistry, Clemens Food Group, Bracy Show Cattle, Rampit USA Inc., Southern Marsh Realty/Jessica Dirschell, the Law Office of Bird, Scheske, Reed & Beemer, Keystone Cooperative, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Walmart Super Center, Albright Swine Farms, Albright Pork Enterprises, Pine Ridge Farm Services Inc., LTW Apparel, Matt Haylett Homes, CMG Farms, Carleton Equipment Co., Brewer Refrigeration Air Condition & Heat, Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye Agency, Jesse and Morgan Albright, Clabaugh Genetics/Family Time Rentals and Diamond Service LLC.
• Alexa Graham: Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye Agency, Keystone Cooperative, Green Stone Farm Credit Services, Pridgeon Farms, Advanced Farm Supply: Walmart Super Center, AcMoody Farms, Bronson Veterinary Service, Dunks Farm, Crystal Flash, Bucklin Family Dentistry, Clemens Food Group, Bracy Show Cattle, Matt Haylett Homes, A1 Concrete Leveling & Foundation Repair, Jesse and Morgan Albright, Southern Marsh Realty/Jessica Dirschell, All American Ramp Rental, the Law Office Bird, Scheske, Reed & Beemer, Carleton Equipment Co., N-Tech Enterprises LLC, Reichhart Cattle Co./California Cannabis
• Dreden Feltner: Ben and Lindsey Vainner, In Loving Memory of Ryzer Poindexter, Stonehaven, Adam and Alyssa Blonde, Wild Roots Cleaning Co., 1329 Collission, Creekside Green House, Boundless Solutions Counseling LLC/Suzanne Pish, Bryan Shirk, Clemens Food Group, Wilcor Electric, SOS Service Inc, D&B Family Farm, Studio 17 Salon, Wilczynski Farms; Feltner Farms, Top Gear Transit
Return to Top of Page