Miller Breaks Whitley County Dairy Goat Sale Record
Published: Friday, July 28, 2023
Mackenzie Miller of Columbia City took the prize with her dairy market wether at last week's Whitley County 4-H Fair. She was supported by nearly 20 buyers, raking in a record breaking $4,000.
Overall, Whitley County 4-H'ers earned $197,620.06 from the sale of livestock last Thursday in Columbia City. There were 326 lots sold. Last year, $280,199 was brought in by 205 lots. The premium auction allowed 4-H'ers to keep their animals, and a period for add-on's is still ongoing.
The auction started with Carter Bills of Columbia City earning $600 from Arden Schrader and Schrader Real Estate for his grand champion gilt. The grand champion barrow was shown by Jacobie Geiger of Albion. He was supported by Blackburn Romey Trusted Injury Lawyers, Arden Schrader and Mike Ott for $1,275.
Animal weights were not provided by the fair.
After the end of the hog sale, Brianna Ferrell auctioned off her pork queen kiss to a buyer group. With a flush of color in his face, buyer Ty Pettigrew planted a kiss on her left cheek. The kiss raised $2,435 for the pig club.
Continuing the auction was the rabbit sale. Reese Minthorn of Smith Twp. showed the grand champion stewer, and got $600 from a buyer group.
Greg Fahl of Orizon Real Estate paid a $300 premium for the champion turkey, which was exhibited by Dylan Parrish of Columbia City.
Nicole Michel of Washington Twp. showed her champion broiler and Alliance Feed paid a supporting price of $225. Also contributing were: Ag Plus, Crossroads Bank, Davis Financial Solutions, GreenMark Equipment, Lake City Bank, Louis Dreyfus Co., Rob and Janelle Michel and family, Turner family and United Oil.
Whitney Hull of Columbia City raised her first grand champion. The nine-year 4-H'er said with a smile that she didn't change a thing as she prepared for the show, so winning the grand champion title was "just luck." A buyer group paid a $3,300 premium for the dairy feeder calf.
The reserve champion dairy feeder calf earned Emory Sindel of Columbia City $1,950. The premium was paid by Ag Plus, Alliance Feed, Barnett Family Farms, Beck's Hybrid/Steve Cormany, Farm Credit-Mid America, Farmers Grain, GreenMark Equipment, Mike Puckett, Trademark Title and TTG Equipment.
After the dairy feeder calves all sold, Emily Mullett sold her Miss Whitley County queen's kiss for $2,210.06 to friends and family. The money was donated to the Miss Whitley County Scholarship fund.
The supreme dairy champion shown by Allie Kuehnert of Fort Wayne brought in $1,000 from the First Bank of Bern. Kaleb Eiler of Washington Twp. sold products from the grand champion Ayrshire cow for $250. Buying was Steel Dynamics.
Julia Gaerte of Columbia City earned $2,575 for her grand champion market lamb. The seven-year member sold the lamb to a group of buyers (see list). The reserve champion didn't sell.
In goats, Braden Weirick of Columbia City featured his reserve champion dairy goat wether for $550 to Eel River Veterinary Clinic, Donnie and Julie Haire, L.E. Aviation LLC, the Dwane and Tracey Peterson family, Red Brush Nubians, Jon and Val Weirick and Starkey Family Farm.
Several grand champion exhibitors chose not to sell their animals. These include Lillie and Vivian Sickafoose of South Whitley, who showed the grand champion beef heifer and grand meat goat wether, respectively; Matthew Blackburn of Columbia City, who showed the grand champion beef steer; Joshua Marker of Albion who showed the grand champion dairy steer; and Brant Pettigrew of Columbia City who showed the grand champion meat market doe.
In beef, 8 lots brought in $9,550; in dairy, 10 lots earned $4,125; in goats, 60 lots sold for $31,735; poultry brought in $7,825 with 25 lots; rabbits raised $17,815 with 44 lots; lambs earned $10,000 with 14 lots; hogs raked in $56,670 with 61 lots; and in dairy beef, 98 lots earned $53,300 between the dairy steers and the feeder calves.
Other lots sold include the pork queen kiss, Miss Whitley County queen kiss, a rabbit club wood carving, a blanket for the Jeff Geiger memorial fund and the horse and pony club quilt. The wood carving sold for $700, the blanket for $575 and the quilt for $650.
Support Groups
Mackenzie Miller buyer group: Bravo Floral, Calloway, Vinson, Columbia Auction Service, friends and family of Mackenzie Miller, Hull Trucking, Brad Hull, Hurley, Ted and Kay Hurley, Ousley's Bookkeeping and Tax Services, Dwane and Tracey Peterson family, Priority Livestock, Ron and Katy Smithson, Sroufe's Garage and Starkey Family Farm.
Julia Gaerte buyer group: Ag Plus, Jim Argerbright, Bayman Auctioneers, Beck's Hybrid/Steve Cormany, Beck's Hybrids/Brad Cormany family, Andy and Trisha, Bills, Blackburn Romey, Gary Boggs family, Bravo Floral, Cox Farms, CS Electric, Lori Dunn, Farm Credit - Mid America, Farmers Grain, Ferrell Farms, Justin and Danielle Gaerte, Hand to the Plow Surveying, Hilligoss Farms, Adam and Susan Hurley, Kyle and Pam Johnson, Mark and Alayne Johnson family, Linnemeier Farms, Rob and Janelle Michel family, Micropulse Inc., Orizon Real Estate Inc, Ousley's Bookkeeping and Tax Services, and Jerry and Amy Pettigrew.
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