Fairgoers Rally for Dunn
Published: Friday, October 16, 2026
Aubrey Dunn knew something special was about to happen as she stepped into the auction ring at the DeKalb County Free Fall Fair with her 9-pound rabbit stewer and placed him gently on a barrel for all to see. The show barn hosting the auction was unusually busy, and the crowd buzzed as she was introduced. The auctioneer started off with a modest bid for a 4-H rabbit, but soon the bids flew high and the room fell quiet.
Tears welled up in Dunn's eyes as the bids neared $10,000. Then the bidding rose above $15,000. By now, the auction ring was silent except for the sound of the auctioneer's call. People who hadn't been watching now turned in their seats as the bidding continued upward.
Dunn's face flushed, tears escaped in streaks and she clapped her hand over her mouth as the gavel went down on the final bid of $34,000 in support of the Waterloo youth.
"I knew my dad told me some people were talking, but I didn't expect everybody to come together like this," she said.
Dunn, 16, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma on Sept. 9, just two weeks before the fair. Her first treatment was the day after the rabbit show.
"I'm speechless. I'm just thankful for my community," she said through tears. "I have such a good community."
She is the daughter of Samatha and Brian Dunn and has been showing rabbits for eight years.
Dunn will undergo six treatments, with the final one occurring on Dec. 22. "Beating cancer" is her next major priority following fair week.
A total of $341,756.03 in premium sales were earned by 4-H'ers at the DeKalb County 4-H livestock auction on Oct. 2 in Auburn, with add-ons still coming in at press time. That is lower than last year's total of $409,912.11 from 276 lots. This year, 221 lots were sold.
As a premium auction, youths were given the option to keep, sell or donate their animals. Donations were made to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry.
Subtotals by species include: 57 swine, $85,946.03; 22 lambs, $27,060; 20 beef animals, $52,650; 11 dairy steers, $11,250; 10 dairy feeders, $13,400; 19 dairy products, $16,550; 38 goats, $39,600; 44 rabbits, $59,200; 53 poultry, $25,900; and four special lots, $10,200.
Avilla's Brennon McCartney led off the auction with the record sale of his grand champion market lamb to friends and family, Rinehold Tack and Western Wear, Butler/Keyser Twps., Mark McCartney, Dal's Big Hands Big Heart Foundation and Premier Fencing in Loving Memory of Cortney Miller. They paid a premium of $8,000.
The reserve champion did not sell.
Three other record sales include:
The grand champion commercial hen, shown by Mason DePew, Auburn, was purchased by friends and family, Rinehold Tack and Western Wear, Butler/Keyser Twps., Dal's Big Hands Big Heart Foundation and Premier Fencing in Loving Memory of Cortney Miller. The Auburn youth pocketed $4,000 to break the record.
Hazen Foster of Waterloo raked in $5,600 to break the record for meat goat sales. His goat was purchased by friends and family, Washler Garbage and Recycling, Pettisville Meats, The Hicksville Bank, Community State Bank, Rinehold Tack and Western Gear, Milan Center Feed and Grain, Edon Farmers Co-op, Moughler Show Cattle, Bar B Ranch, Nitty Gritty Arm Service, Yarde Veterinary Services and Audiology Always.
Tying the record for the swine sale was Graden Pepple of Corunna. He received $12,000 from Squier Pallets for the grand champion barrow. The reserve champion did not sell.
In the dairy sale, Gavin Payne showed the top overall cow. The Ashley youth walked away $2,300 richer with the sale of dairy products to Dal's Big Hands Big Heart Foundation. Addysen Brand of Waterloo brought in $600 with the reserve champion sale to Ag One Agency.
The beef sale was led by Reese Williams of Laotto. He earned $12,000 for the grand champion beef animal. Buyers include friends and family, Glen and Julie Malcolm, The McComb Inc., Squier Pallets, Butler/Keyser Twps., DeKalb Farm Mutual Insurance, New Millennium Building Systems, Jerry and Tracy Rinehart and Dal's Big Hands Big Heart Foundation.
Stella Dickerhoff, Butler, brought in a $10,000 bid from buyers. She showed the reserve champion beef animal. Supporters include: friends and family, United Producers Inc., Milan Center Feed and Grain, Edon Farmers Co-op, JVR Transport LLC, Farm Credit Mid America, Mitchell Cattle Co., Premier Fencing in Loving Memory of Cortney Miller, Joshua Buuck, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, Krafft Water Solutions LLC and Yarde Veterinary Services.
Earning $2,000 with the sale of the grand champion dairy steer was Leah Kreischer of Saint Joe. Her benefactor is Milan Center Feed and Grain. The reserve champion did not sell.
Steel Dynamics paid $2,500 toward Faith Johnson, Auburn, for her grand champion dairy feeder calf. Connor Cottrell, Waterloo, sold his grand champion cross feeder for $4,000 to a group of six buyers, including: Friends/Family of Connor Cottrell, The Hicksville Bank, Community State Bank, Smithfield/Grant/Franklin Twps., Ag One Agency and C&R Construction Service LLC. The reserve grand champion cross feeder was shown by Taylor Handshoe, Auburn, and sold to friends and family for $1,700.
Following Foster's record goat sale, the reserve champion meat goat was sold by Bowen Clifford of Waterloo. He sold it to Complete Maintenance for $2,000.
The grand champion dairy wether was exhibited by Bridget Dunn of Waterloo. Bidders Reed and Emma Ford paid $3,100 for the goat. Alex Wolfe, Auburn, showed the reserve champion. The winning bid of $700 was paid for by Zeedyk Tree Service.
In addition to DePew's record poultry sale, the overall grand champion commercial poultry animal was exhibited by Hadley Lewis of Waterloo. She received a premium of $400 for her duck from Brad Miller.
In rabbits, Wappes Farms purchased the premium of the grand champion stewer from Kerrianne Nott of South Milford for $600. Ainslee Pepple, Waterloo, earned $400 in the sale of the reserve champion to Randy and Karen Morton. Isaiah Dilts, Butler, sold his reserve champion roaster for $450 to Wappes Farms. The grand champion did not sell.
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