$5,000 a Popular Sale Price at Branch Co. Fair
Published: Friday, August 18, 2023
Three grand champion animals, a beef steer, a lamb and a meat goat, each sold for the same price during last Friday's Branch County Fair auction in Coldwater.
Kori Musgrove of Coldwater sold her grand champion beef steer for $5,000 ($3.65 per pound) to Bronson Veterinary Service. The steer weighed 1,370 pounds. Kori said she intends to donate a small portion of the proceeds from that sale to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Also selling for $5,000 was the grand champion lamb shown by Harper Herman of Union City. Herman exhibited the top lamb, a 131-pounder, for the second straight year. A buyer group (see list at end of story) paid her $38.17 per pound.
Earning a considerably higher price per unit was Murcie Wallen of Union City. She sold her 82-pound grand champion meat goat for $5,000 to Chris Maye of Farm Bureau Insurance. That equates to $60.98 per pound.
Last Friday's large animal auction raised approximately $359,497 from the sale of 307 lots. Combined with last Thursday's small animal auction, Branch County youth livestock exhibitors earned $550,322 from 585 lots.
That's up significantly from last year's total of $427,897.03. One reason for the increase was due to a new rule allowing exhibitors to sell three animal species instead of just two.
Showing the reserve champion beef steer was Alia Howe of Athens. She sold the 1,280-pounder for an impressive $8,000 ($6.25 per pound). Buyers included: Yoder Family Farms, AcMoody Farms, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Chris Maye/Farm Bureau Insurance, N-Tech Enterprises, Bronson Veterinary Clinic, Pine Ridge Farm Services Inc., Hemker Farms, Iron's Farm Spreading, LTW Apparel, Crimson Greenhouses and Country Market, Rockin' H Farms, Yesh Metals and Yoder Family Farms.
In the dairy beef auction, Brookelyn Parker of Quincy auctioned her 1,530-pound grand champion for $4,700 ($3.07 per pound) to a buyer group (see list). Standing second in the dairy steer show was Miles Losinski of Bronson. He sold his 1,525-pound reserve champion steer for $2,900 ($1.90 per pound) to a support group (see list).
In sheep, Alivia Blonde of Litchfield sold her 147-pound reserve champion lamb for $3,350 ($22.79 per acre) to GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Chupp Auctions, E&S Sales, Clemens Food Group and Spartan Crop Insurance.
Alexa Graham of East Leroy led her 258-pound crossbred to the winner's circle in the swine show. Last Friday, she cashed in by selling the market hog for $3,300 ($12.79 per pound) to supporters (see list). Next in the ring was Wyatt Wood of Burr Oak and his reserve champion market hog. Wood sold the 302-pounder for $3,100 ($10.26 per pound) to a buyer group (see list).
Ryan Sturgeon of Coldwater auctioned his grand champion dairy market goat for $1,200 to Crouch Electric. The same buyer purchased the reserve champion dairy wether, shown by Carleigh Crouch, for $1,600.
Sydney Fowler of Montgomery earned $1,350 for her reserve champion meat goat. A buyer group consisting of Pish Meat Goats, E&S Sales, Bruce and Adam Blonde Farms, LTW Apparel, Climson Greenhouse and Clemens Food Group.
In the milk auction, a record $21,050 was raised from 71 buyers and went to the Branch County Dairy Organization for various dairy-themed activities. The supreme champion dairy cow was exhibited by Austin Preston, who showed the grand champion Holstein. Other breed champions were: Kelsey Gruner, Guernsey, Brown Swiss and Jersey; Paige Wineland, AOB (any other breed); and Mackenzie Sickels, Ayrshire.
Last Thursday's small animal auction saw 278 animals move through the ring, with receipts totaling $190,825.
Leading the way was Blaine Pish of Bronson and his grand champion dairy starter calf. He received $3,900 from Bronson Veterinary Clinic, Melchi Family Trust, Wana Feed Supply, Bracy Show Cattle, Stroh Feed, Pish Meat Goats, in loving memory of Kyzer Poindexter, Clemens Food Group, Wilczynski Farms, Diane Pish, Gene and Marianne Sickels, Bucklin Family Dentistry, Strawberry Ridge Farms, SOS, Shipshewana Livestock Auction and Mike Sickels.
The reserve champion starter calf was exhibited by Brealyn Lasky of Bronson. She earned $1,850 from supporters (see list).
Siblings Mary and Noah Himebaugh, both of Bronson, sold grand champions. Mary's grand champion goose brought $250 from Family Farm & Home and Star of the West Milling, and Noah's grand champion stewer rabbit fetched $250 from Jerry and Darlene Morgan.
Two other members of the Himebaugh clan were also big winners. Hannah Himebaugh sold the reserve champion goose for $200 to Nate and Jen Wortz, and the reserve champion stewer rabbit for $250 to Jerry and Darlene Morgan, Bucklin Family Dentistry and Bronson Veterinary Service. Micah Himebaugh sold the reserve champion single roaster rabbit for $175 to Jerry and Darlene Morgan.
The grand champion single fryer rabbit belonging to Zaidyn Swain brought $695 from A.J. Performance, Pickford Performance Horses, Orland Community Elevator, Mike and Sarah Waltke and Bronson Veterinary Service.
Leah Richmond sold the reserve champion fryer rabbit for $230 to Clear Creek Farm, Sanders Insurance Agency, Bobilya Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge, Orland Community Elevator and King's Equipment.
Adam Howe of Athens sold his reserve champion rabbit pen for $375 to Counterman Farms.
In chickens, Nolan King auctioned the grand champion lightweight pen for $350 to Bracy Ag Services. Luke Clancey was next with the reserve champion lightweight pen. They sold for $425 to Avery Wealth Inc., Warner Oil Co. and Bucklin Family Dentistry.
Dreyden Feltner sold the grand champion mediumweight chickens for $425 to Storm Tool and Litchfield Grain. The reserve champion mediumweight chickens belonging to Abbigail Smith brought $550 from Honor Credit Union, Jim Borden, Butler Body Shop LLC, and Broadheads and Bullets LLC.
For a price of $400, Madison Johnson sold her grand champion heavyweight chickens to Family Farm & Home and Southern Marsh Realty/Angie Marsh. Daxton Moore sold the reserve champion heavyweight chickens for $845 to Mark Harwell Trucking LLC, Vozar Insurance, Family Farm & Home, Bracy Ag Services, GreenStone Farm Credit Services and Barns & Sons Trucking.
Other small animal winners were: Jaydn Blair, grand champion duck, $400 to New Media Productions and Brian Conine; Jasen Munyon, reserve champion duck, $350 to Voyce's Elevator Inc. and Southern Marsh Realty; Bentley Swift, grand champion turkey, $400 to Southern Marsh Realty; Danica Swift, reserve champion turkey, $550 to Bobilya Chysler-Jeep-Dodge and Studio 17 Salon/Wendi Williams.
Support Groups
Harper Herman's grand champion market lamb—Friends of Harper Herman, Pine Ridge Farm Services, Courtesy Car and Truck, Advanced Farm Supply, Scott Fair Agency, Ceres Solutions, Co-Alliance of Frankfort, Ind., Brendon McCarthy/Edward Jones, Warner Oil Co., GreenStone Farm Credit Services, State Line Cryogenics, Custom Agri-Systems, Presley Precision, B&M Crop Consulting, P&M Precision Planting Services, Jack's, Dally Tire, Hoffman Ag
Brookelyn Parker's grand champion dairy steer—Music Therapy Services, Bracy Ag Services, Refuge Coffee House, Lane and Cathie Knauss, Barrows Farms, Hemler Construction, Southern Marsh Realty, John Shilling, in memory of Ryzer Poindexter, Strawberry Ridge Farm, Warner Oil Co., Shipshewana Livestock Auction, Century Bank and Trust, Dr. Fischer, Haylett Trailers, Nutrien Ag Services, Pell's Tire, Walmart Distributing, Damiron Truck Center, Crystal Flash, Shady Sycamore Farms, Ceres Solutions, Mark Whitey, Davis Farms Crooked Pine Farms, The Andersons Inc. of Litchfield.
Miles Losinski's reserve champion dairy steer—Oakleaf Financial, Advanced Farm Supply, McConn, Andrew & Steffany, FM Electric, Wonders Repair & Fab, Davis Farms, Josh and Erica Norton, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Kendale Farm, S&J Farms, Orland Community Elevator, State Line Cryogenics LLC, Diller Trucking, Jeff and Angela Marks, The Andersons of Albion, Bronson Veterinary Service
Alexa Graham's grand champion market hog—LTW Apparel, Crimson Country Market, Dunks Farms, Chris Maye/Farm Bureau Insurance, Pine Ridge Farm Services, Bucklin Family Dentistry, Ceres Solutions, Clemens Food Group, Pridgeon Farms, Albright Swine Farms, Wal-Mart Distributing
Wyatt Wood's reserve champion market hog—Stoops Freightliner, Southern Marsh Realty/Amanda Case, Matt and Jessica Wood, Sturgis Bank & Trust of Bronson, Wonders Repair & Fab, Warner Oil Co., Orland Community Elevator, Damiron Truck Center, Lane Veterinary Services, Sutton Farms, Brian Washburn, Rich Baker Farms LLC, State Line Cryogenics LLC, Lakeside Legacy Farms, Littlefield Livestock, Doug Schwartz Trucking, JTR Acres, Teadt, Rodney & Shannon, and Swift & Skidmore
Brealyn Lasky's reserve champion starter calf—Advanced Farm Supply, Wilber Auction Service, in memory Garth, Gary and Lorinda Ratkowski, Bella Vista Golf Course, Eric Anglin, Mancinos of Battle Creek, Renmar Construction, Keep & Martinson Lumber Co., Southern Marsh Realty/Marilyn Ostrander, Andrew and Steffany McConn, Bronson Veterinary Service
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