Receipts were higher for this year's Van Buren County Youth Fair large livestock auction, held last Thursday in Hartford. The 2015 auction featured 40 more pigs and 13 more sheep than last year.
Figures released by the fair show that the auction raised $337,292 on 345 lots. Last year's event, which had 287 lots, generated $283,927.90.
Combined with last Wednesday's small animal auction, Van Buren County 4-H youths last week earned $356,082.
Hollee Kubiszak of Lawrence finished her show career in a big way. She exhibited six grand or reserve grand champion animals, including the top beef steer, barrow and dairy feeder calf. All of those earned impressive prices, but the biggest expression of support came during the sale of her grand champion lamb carcass. Hollee, who will be a junior this fall at Trine University in Angola, sold the lamb carcass for $37 per pound, for a total of $4,070, to a support group and Mike Bedford.
Hollee, the daughter of Tod and Karen Kubiszak, also sold the following livestock:
• Grand champion beef steer, $3.70 per pound ($4,713.80) to Quality Assured Plastics.
• Grand champion barrow, $5.50 per pound ($1,474) to Quality Assured Plastics.
• Grand champion lightweight dairy feeder calf, $2.40 per pound ($859.20) to Decatur Excavating.
• Reserve champion gilt, $3.30 per pound ($851.40) to Decatur Excavating.
• Reserve champion dairy steer, $2.40 per pound ($3,604.80) to Decatur Excavating.
Joseph Doornhaag stood second in the beef auction with his 1,412-pound reserve champion. He earned $2.50 per pound ($3,450) from Bernie Sherburn.
Nate Hostetler had two winners in the beef show. First, he sold his grand champion dairy steer for $2.75 per pound ($3,883) to Red Arrow Dairy. Second, he sold his grand champion beef carcass for $2.60 per pound ($3,655.60) to Tollie Wichtman.
Taylor Streit showed the reserve champion beef carcass and received $2.20 per pound ($3,031.60) from Shafer Plastering.
In hogs, Samantha Modreske sold the grand champion gilt for $5 per pound ($1,350) to Tool-N-Die. Samantha's sister, McKenna, showed up with the reserve champion barrow, earning $3 per pound ($828) from Decatur Excavating.
A.J. Rickli sold the grand champion hog carcass for $2.75 per pound ($665.50) to Jon Armiger. Anya Butler sold the reserve champion carcass for $2.70 per pound ($631.80) to Family Farm and Home.
Talan Hiemstra paced the lamb sale, earning $7 per pound ($938) for the grand champion wether from Decatur Excavating. Jason Craig cashed in with his reserve champion wether, receiving $3.50 per pound ($574) from Craig Farm.
The grand champion ewe, exhibited by Hannah Baljeu, brought $5.50 per pound ($748) from Crop Production Services. A.J. Rickli sold the reserve champion ewe for $4.50 per pound ($504) to Decatur Feed.
Jacob Fritz sold the reserve champion lamb carcass for $4 per pound ($400) to Village Market.
Jason Craig was a winner in the dairy feeder calf show. He sold the grand champion heavyweight calf for $2.60 per pound ($1,570) to Red Arrow Dairy. The reserve champion heavyweight calf, shown by Ciara Capps, brought $3 per pound ($1,548) from Keith and Tammy Dykstra and Red Arrow Dairy.
Anya Butler exhibited the reserve champion lightweight dairy feeder calf, earning $2.30 per pound ($874) from Modreske Swine Farm.
Kayla Flick led the way in beef feeders, selling her grand champion heavyweight calf for $2.50 per pound ($1,605) to Dave's Concrete Products. Joseph Doornhaag sold the reserve champion heavyweight calf for $2.70 per pound ($1,085.40) to Burnips Equipment.
Subtotals, by species, includes: 192 swine, $154,030.50; 27 beef steers, $84,247.96; 79 lambs, $38,820.80; 27 dairy feeder calves, $31,820.80; and 20 beef feeder calves, $26,779.20.
In the small animal auction, Levi Cole sold the grand champion market goat to Southwestern Michigan Feed for $450. Katherine Miller sold the reserve champion goat for $275 to Dave and Joyce Deines.
Jacob Fritz sold the grand champion dairy market goat for $600 to Family Farm and Home and Dave and Joyce Deines. The reserve champion, shown by Roselynne Brandt-Seils, brought $250 from Dian Liepe.
A milk jug representing the grand champion dairy goat, shown by Hannah Baljeau, sold for $125 to Family Farm and Home.
In rabbits, Kayla Brown sold the grand champion for $525 to Tacy Brothers Excavating. A bid of $300, from Decatur Feed LLC, purchased the reserve champion rabbits shown by Rebecca Brown.
Megan Miller teamed up with Warren Sell on the purchase of the grand champion eggs. The purchase price was $50. Reserve champion exhibitor Jackson Hunter received the same price from Southwestern Michigan Feed.
Joey Stermer led the way in the chicken sale, selling the grand champion project for $410 to Decatur Feed LLC and Norman Boyer. Lillianne Ashbrook sold the reserve champion chickens for $150 to Streich Farms.
In turkeys, Lacey Burke sold a project representing her grand champion for $210 to Pine Grove Greenhouse. Porsha Tomsa sold the reserve champion for $160 to Golden Plain Farm.
Hannah Baljeu received $50 for her grand champion geese project. The buyer was Pine Grove Greenhouse.
In ducks, Jacob Fritz sold the grand champion for $225 to Southwestern Michigan Feed and Tapper Auto Group. Kaitlyn Baljeu sold the reserve champion for $195 to Bloomingdale Communications and Pine Grove Greenhouse.