Johnson Shows Top Steer in Centreville
Published: Friday, September 26, 2025
Youths raked in an astounding $585,404.85 last Thursday in Centreville during the St. Joseph County Grange Fair livestock auction, with add-ons still coming in. This is higher than last year's overall total of $559,514.13, with $70,695.41 of that coming from add-ons. Currently, add-ons account for $82,163 of the $585,400 total.
The highest selling species was swine, with youth exhibitors fetching $111,863 from 136 hogs. The dairy feeder club was the next highest in sales, with $78,591 from 36 calves. Other subtotals include: 17 beef animals, $68,257.50; 10 dairy steers, $41,472; a gallon of milk, $11,947.35; 49 sheep, $26,809; 61 goats, $31,237; 126 chickens, $61,390; 29 turkeys, $13,325; and 150 rabbits, $58,350.
Kicking off the large animal auction was the grand champion market beef animal, exhibited by Ian Johnson of Sturgis. The 1,520-pound steer sold to Midlink Logistics for $3.75 a pound ($5,700).
The reserve champion was a heifer weighing in at 1,260 pounds, shown by Colin Trattles of Burr Oak. He sold his beef animal for $2.75 a pound, or $3,465. The high bid went to Trattles Livestock, Trattles & Sons Shorthorns, Bontrager Feed, Davis & Davis Insurance & Real Estate, GreenStone Farm Credit Services of Schoolcraft, Premier Feed LLC, River Country Eye Care, Sturgis Bank & Trust Co. and Wana Feed Service.
Also selling in the beef auction were the grand and reserve champion beef carcasses. Larson Cardella of Marcellus and Mackenzie Kelley of Sherwood took these honors. Cardella's grand champion brought in $5,740 from Koviack Irrigation & Farm Services and Iron Circle Services LLC. Kelley took home $3,346.50 paid by Rich Acres Farm – Ultz/Baxter family.
Taylor Trattles, the 4-H State Award winner from Colon, showed the top dairy steer, earning $3 a pound ($4,845) in the sale of her 1,615-pounder. It was purchased by Advanced Farm Supply. Montana Frisbie, also of Colon, sold her reserve champion to Advanced Farm Supply, Nurtien Ag, and Schrader Real Estate & Auction for $3.10 a pound ($4,758.50). It weighed 1,535 pounds.
Two youths shined in the dairy feeder show: grand champion exhibitor Aubree Kruger and reserve champion exhibitor Reese Beadle. Kruger, of Marcellus, showed a 650-pound calf and sold it for $3.75 a pound ($2,437.50) to Cottage Care Co. and JP Sanderson Insulation. A group of buyers, including Tim and Laura Schug, Blue Top Beef LLC, Cripps Farms, Dave High, Keystone Cooperative, and Klein Farms and Seed Sales LLC, paid the high bid of $5.50 per pound for Beadle's 485-pounder. The Marcellus youth walked away with $2,667.50.
Carlie Doehring of Mendon auctioned off her grand champion market barrow for $9.25 a pound ($3,793.50. The 302-pounder was bought by Hareline Dubbin LLC.
Colin Trattles sold the reserve champion barrow and the grand champion gilt. The barrow was purchased by Lester and Helen Quimby for $1.50 a pound ($397.50). The barrow weighed 265 pounds. The gilt, weighing 269 pounds, brought $5 a pound ($1,345) from Bontrager Feed, Davis & Davis Insurance & Real Estate, Don and Beth Preston, River Country Eye Care, and Wana Feed Service.
Mason Trattles of Burr Oak came in a close second with a 280-pound reserve champion gilt, which sold to Bontrager Feed and Wana Feed Service for $3 a pound, or $840.
Ben Thomas purchased the grand champion hog carcass, shown by Cooper Stears of Jones. He paid the high bid of $677.25. Katelyn Trattles of Colon earned $333 in the sale of the reserve champion to Midwest Energy and Communications.
In the lamb sale, Gracelyn Sturgill of Howe took home the prize for the grand champion market ewe. She sold the 152-pounder to friends and family for $15 a pound ($2,280). Layna Cardella of Marcellus showed the reserve champion ewe. The 126-pounder sold for $7 a pound ($882) to Hardings Market Food
& Pharmacy—Schoolcraft, Cripps Farms, Blue Top Beef LLC, Tim and Laura Schug, and W. W. Williams.
The Scramlin Agency Farm Bureau Insurance purchased the grand champion market wether, exhibited by Kennedy Mosher of Sturgis for $5 a pound ($670). It weighed 134 pounds. Levi Kruger of Marcellus sold his 151-pound reserve champion to Burnips Equipment Co. of Dorr for $3 a pound ($453).
Valerie and Rebekah Klein of Mendon and showed the grand and reserve champion carcass lambs, respectively. Valerie took home $580 with the sale of her lamb to Lester and Helen Quimby. Rebekah walked away $299.25 richer with the sale of her reserve champion to Edward and Amanda Klein.
The small animal auction kicked off with Isaac Smith's grand champion dairy goat. Bidding went up to $3,100 for the Burr Oak youth, paid by Dale Ultz Farms. McKinley McGlothlen of Three Rivers sold her reserve champion for $275 from American Axle.
The winning youth in the meat goat show was Mason Trattles. He sold his grand champion to A.W. Ayers Insurance of Sturgis for $600. His reserve champion was purchased by Bontrager Feed and Wana Feed Service for $1,000.
A.W. Ayers Insurance of Sturgis returned to the buyer's circle to purchase the grand champion goat carcass, sold by Paityn Hutchison of Sturgis. The company paid $525 in the sale. Kason Schrock, also of Sturgis, took home $300 with the sale of his reserve champion to Terry Miller.
Five top contenders sold poultry products in the small animal sale. Madison Kulpinski of Colon earned $1,200 with the sale of her grand champion chicken to Dan Kulpinsko and Shouldice Bros. The reserve champion was auctioned off by Sturgill, who received $350 from Robert Teadt Jr. and Omni Community Credit Union of St. Joseph County.
The grand champion dozen eggs was sold to Family Farm and Home for $140 by Aaron Hinds of Battle Creek.
The top two turkeys were sold by Benjamin O'Connell of Colon and Kacey Jennings of Sturgis. O'Connell walked away $3,200 richer with the sale of his grand champion to Finley Farms Shouldice Bros. Jennings sold the reserve champion for $300 to Mammoth Grove Farms.
In rabbits, the grand champion exhibitor was Kendee Beadle of Marcellus. She sold her pen of three for $700 to Klein Farms and Seed Sales LLC, Blue Top Beef LLC, Cripps Farms, Crystal Flash, Dave High, Keystone Cooperative, Parkville Prairie Farms, and Tim and Laura Schug. The reserve champion was sold by Braxton Long of Mendon for $2,250 from N&T Rabbitry, Mike and Stephanie Cross, Innovative Exteriors, FBI Buildings and T-H Plastics.
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