Branch County Rallies to Honor Deceased 4-H Youth
Published: Friday, August 21, 2026
A special fundraiser was held last Friday at the Branch County Fair to honor the life and legacy of a 4-H'er who passed away earlier this year.
Carter Pish, 19, of Bronson, was a member of the Kinderhook 4-H Club, where he learned to breed, raise and show goats. He eventually started his own business, C. Pish Show Stock, selling goats to other 4-H'ers. He was in his last year of 4-H when he died May 25 in an ATV accident.
Prior to the goat auction, 4-H'ers gathered in the auction ring to raise money for a special memorial fund to help 4-H'ers for years to come. Many of the youths were fellow goat exhibitors—kids who knew Pish well. Also in the ring was the meat goat Pish would have shown at this year's fair.
Donations were accepted in an auction format, with the first $10,000 coming from Bronson Veterinary Services. Other businesses and individuals (see list at end of story) contributed lesser amounts. After it was all done, a total of $44,380.05 was raised for the C. Pish Memorial Fund.
That was the highlight of last Friday's large animal sale in Coldwater. Livestock exhibitors earned a total of $669,001.23. Adding in the total from last Thursday's small animal sale, total receipts amounted to a record $1,158,991.23 from 709 lots.
The 2025 auction raised $761,249 from 749 lots.
In hogs, Alexis Blonde of Litchfield sold the grand champion for $7,850 ($26.43 per pound) to a support group (see list). The pig weighed 297 pounds.
Addison Herman of Union City brought the reserve champion market hog. She received a bid of $2,000 ($7.25 per pound) for the 276-pounder. The buyer was Hoffman Ag Service.
Leading the way in the beef auction was Sydney Schmucker of Osseo. She sold her 1,395-pound grand champion steer for $8,958.50 ($6.42 per pound). The buyers were Keystone Co-op, SewTech Castle Covers, Reichhart Cattle Co. and others (see list).
Miley Poindexter of Allen was next with the reserve champion steer. She received $8,000 ($6.13 per pound) from a buyer group (see list). Her steer weighed 1,305 pounds.
For the second year in a row, the grand champion dairy beef steer was exhibited by Joseph Fair of Burr Oak. He sold the 1,530-pound steer for $3,900 ($2.55 per pound) to R&W Farms of Sherwood.
Denver Siler of Bronson showed the reserve champion dairy steer. He sold the 1,460-pounder for $3,500 ($2.40 per pound) to Sturgis Bank.
In sheep, Carson Haylett of Coldwater offered his 144-pound grand champion lamb for sale. His father, Matt Haylett, had the winning bid at $1,900 ($13.19 per pound) on behalf of a buyer group (see list). Leading the reserve champion lamb was Brenden Preston of Quincy. He sold his 130-pounder for $3,500 ($26.92 per pound) to a support group (see list).
In goats, Harper Herman of Union City led the way with her grand champion meat goat. She was also the champion 12-year-old showman. Harper earned $1,750 from Yesh Metals Inc. The reserve champion meat goat was exhibited by Kelsey Dickinson of Montgomery. She sold her goat for $2,100 to Yesh Metals.
Abbigail Ferry of Bronson placed first in the dairy wether show. She sold the grand champion for $500 to Sturgis Bank. Next was the reserve champion dairy wether shown by Bennett Pierucki of Bronson. He received $1,150 from Yesh Metals.
In the milk auction, dairy youths collected donations for the 4-H dairy program. Buyers contributed $23,350. Grand champion dairy cattle were shown by: Brenden Preston, Holstein; Garrett Gruner, Guernsey; Kelsey Gruner, Ayrshire; Paige Wineland, Brown Swiss; Alex Preston, Jersey; and Makayla Milliman, any other breed.
In the small animal sale, Lucas Barrows of Coldwater sold his grand champion dairy starter calf for $3,250 to G&K Concepts. Emerson Fair of Bronson was next with the reserve champion starter calf. It also brought $3,250 from Ranch Water Holdings.
The same buyer was involved in the sale of the grand champion goose shown, paying $500 to Grant McCall of Quincy. Grant's brother, Henry, sold the reserve champion goose for $400 to Cactus Bloom Design and Dynamic Welding and Equipment Service.
Owen Raymond of Coldwater auctioned his grand champion lightweight chicken for $400 to Alex Otis of Coldwater.
Matilda Jensen of Quincy sold the reserve champion lightweight chicken for $250 to Strung Out Acres in Quincy.
Grace Clancy of Quincy partnered with three buyers on the sale of the grand champion mediumweight chicken. Grace received $275 from All American Ramp Rental, Rampit USA Inc. and Southern Michigan Bank & Trust. Vivian King of Quincy sold the reserve champion mediumweight chicken for $325 to Wilcor Electric.
Madison Johnson of Quincy led the way in heavyweight chickens. She earned $300 from Young Farms and Kyler Case for the grand champion. Carlos Gutierrez of Tekonsha was next with the reserve champion heavyweight chicken. He received $1,200 from Phillip Cutler, Bone Cold Skull Werx, Roy Swafford Jr. and Elmet Technologies.
Selling the grand champion turkey, Clayre Phibbs of Bronson raked in $500 from B3 Dragline Services. Nathan Dunn of Coldwater sold the reserve champion turkey for $325 to Boundless Solutions Consulting, Sugarbush Cattle Inc. and Wilczynski Farms.
In rabbits, Payton Spieth of Litchfield sold the grand champion pen for $550 to the Michigan Horse Shoeing Institute. Abigail Yockey of Union City partnered with Farm Bureau Insurance agent Chris Maye on the sale of the reserve champion pen. The price was $1,100.
The grand champion single fryer was exhibited by Micah Himebaugh of Bronson. He received $425 from State Rep. Jennifer Wortz and State Sen. Jonathan Lindsey. Remington Sandahl of Coldwater brought the reserve champion fryer. He sold it for $300 to Carol Robey-Poradzisz of Coldwater.
Faith Kunkel of Reading earned $650 from the sale of her grand champion roaster. The buyer was Reichhart Cattle Co. Cora Smith was next with the reserve champion roaster. She sold it for $325 to Top Shelf Welding.
Two 4-H'ers from Bronson exhibited the top stewers. Journey Smith sold the grand champion for $500 to Keith Bercaw, and Smith sold the reserve champion for $325 to Farm & Truck Service LLC.
Species subtotals were: 115 dairy starters, $359,730; 49 beef steers, $227,718.50; 127 hogs, $204,976.84; 85 goats, $93,123.84; 56 lambs, $71,517; 111 rabbit pens, $49,886; 66 chickens, $33,948; 52 ducks, $26,068; one gallon of milk, $23,350; 29 turkeys, $17,258; and nine fundraisers, $48,315.05.
Support Groups
C. Pish Memorial Fund—Bronson Veterinary Service, Shilling Farms, Jedd and Julie Bucklin, Wilcox Trucking, Andrew Feldbauer, NG Michael Construction, Bucklin Law PLC, Triple M, Griffiths Crop Agency, Agventure-McKillip Seeds, Mel-Crist Farm, Hoffman Ag Service, Reichhart Cattle Co., Clemens Food Group, Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye agency, Bucklin Family Dentistry, SOS Service Inc., Adam and Alyssa Blonde, Dunks Farm, Jeff and Lisa Burlingame, Wilczynski Farms, In Loving Memory of Ryzer Poindexter, Waligora Farms, Keystone Cooperative, LTW Apparel, Southern Marsh Realty/Angie Marsh, Stonehaven, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Southern Marsh Realty/Jessica Dirschell, Josh and Erica Norton, Great Lakes Sire Service, Brian and Kendra Washburn, Pine Ridge Farm Services, Val Counterman Farms, Cronkhite Vault Service Crematory, Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, Morgan Composting, New Equipment Leasing, B3 Dragline Services, Gene and Marianne Sickels, G&S Dairy Farm, Hawley Enterprises, Yesh Metals Inc., Grand Industrial, Triple Cross Photography, McAllister Equipment, Neusbaum Showpigs, Fowler Signs, Cactus Bloom Design, Vankampen, James and Caroline VanKampen, KB Insulation, Stephanie and Jeff Stephenson, Rick and Pat Furney, Orland Community Elevator, Jason and Becky Jackson, Armstrong Club Lambs, Parshall Heating & Cooling, G&K Concepts/Tyson and Lisa Franks, Myers Concrete Construction, Jake Bildner/Hoegemeyer Hybrids, Greg Ware, Feltner Farms, Kendale Farm, Bill and Lisa Bowerman, Casey Rice Farms, AC Drumm Farms, Chuck and Caitlin Yager, Jeff and Carol Bucklin, Beck's Hybrid/Shayne Hasty, Ben and Lindsey Vainner, Traskos Enterprises, Young Farms, AcMoody Farms, Keith and Tammy Bildner, Brad and Sara Stroble, Midwest Livestock Transport LLC, Auction Management Co., Sturgis Bank, Rampit USA Inc., All American Ramp Rental, Century Bank & Trust
Alexis Blonde—Nutrien Ag Solutions, Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye Agency, Spartan Crop Insurance/Gerrit Deglee, Jeff and Lisa Burlingame, Ben and Lindsey Vainner, Clemens Food Group, Wildt Farms/Beck's Hybrids, Evan Leach/Beck's Hydrids, Bruce and Sandy Blonde, Sugarbush Cattle Inc., Bucklin Family Dentistry, Bracy Show Cattle, Wilczynski Farms, E&S Sales/Country Road Shoes, Boundless Solutions Counseling LLC, C. Pish Show Stock, Southern Marsh Realty/Jessica Dirschell, Jake Bildner/Hoegemeyer Hybrids, Southern Marsh Realty/Angie Marsh
Sydney Schmucker—Sewtech/castle Covers, Birchmeier Show Pigs, M&M Smokehouse, Umbarger Show Feeds\Derrick Miller, Keystone Cooperative, M.W. Burns Excavating Gravel & Concrete, Dean R. Diller Trucking, Matt Haylett Homes, Denise Bowerman and Steve Pelham, Brewer Refrigeration Air Conditioning & Heating, Steve Berg Agency/Farm Bureau Insurance, Pridgeon Farms, Greenstone Farm Credit Services, Abbeg family, Ryan and Nicole Cox, Albright Swine Farms, Doug's Auto Recyclers, State Bank, Pittsford Feed Mill, Reichhart Cattle Co., The Pediatric Place, Preston Farms, Bracy Show Cattle
Miley Poindexter—Gene and Marianne Sickels, Bucklin Family Dentistry, Bucklin Law, Ben and Lindsey Vainner, Wilczynski Farms, Clemens Food Group, Adam and Alyssa Blonde, Stillwell Ford Lincoln, NG Michael Construction, Brad and Sara Stroble, Stonehaven, Bracy Show Cattle, Parshall Heating & Cooling, Jeff and Carol Bucklin, Bronson Veterinary Service, Southern Marsh Realty, In Loving Memory of Ryzer Poindexter, Schrader family, Ivan Swift, Southern Marsh Realty, Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye Agency, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Great Lakes Sire Service, C. Pish Show Stock, Farm Depot
Carson Haylett—Haylett Enterprises, Clemens Food Group, Waligora Farms, Kings Equipment, State Rep. Jennifer Wortz, James and Caroline Vankampen, Longardner Excavating, Strawberry Ridge Farm, Keystone Cooperative, J&L Market, Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye Agency, Schmucker Farms
Brenden Preston—Farm Bureau Insurance/Chris Maye Agency, Bracy Ag Services, Bracy Show Cattle, Kendale Farm, Spartanwood Sow Farm, Nutrien Ag Solutions, State Rep. Jennifer Wortz, J&L Market, Great Lakes Sire Service, Kyle Gruner SOS Service Inc., Longardner Excavating, American Farm Mortgage Co., James and Caroline Vankampen, Paula Preston Daycare, Matt Haylett Homes, Integrity Apparel, Ltw Apparel, Ganton Farms, Rod Fair, Against The Grain Farms, Sugarbush Cattle Inc., C.L. Higbee Farms, Calvary Supply Integrated, Parshall Heating & Cooling, Bucklin Family Dentistry, Nick and Kasey Tice, Cronkhite Vault Service Crematory, Luke Bir, Wortz Transport LLC, Pridgeon Farms, Dr. Cassidy's Chiropractic Care, Myers Concrete Construction, Brian and Carrie Preston, Ranch Water Holdings
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