Lake County 4-H Sale Up $30,000
Published: Friday, August 28, 2026
Lake County 4-H'ers earned $250,354 from the sale of livestock at the annual 4-H auction on Aug. 15 in Crown Point. That's up nearly $30,000 from last year's total of $220,523.59.
Leading the way was Mackenzie Bult, a 10-year 4-H'er from Hebron. She exhibited the grand champion beef steer and grand champion beef carcass. The 1,450-pound Maine Anjou steer brought $5.25 per pound ($7,612.50) from Bill's Produce, and the carcass sold for a record $9.25 per pound ($9,900) to friends and family.
Bult plans to attend Purdue University this fall to study animal science. She is the daughter of Eric and Tracy Bult.
Mackenzie's brother, Ethon, showed the reserve champion beef carcass. He received $4 per pound ($5,040) from Austgen Equipment.
Standing second in the beef show was George Fox of Lowell. He sold his 1,575-pound reserve champion for a record $7 per pound ($11,025) to Joe and Andrea Fox.
With 13 lots selling, beef and beef carcass sales totaled $77,021.25.
Another 10-year 4-H'er, Brycen Neises of Crown Point, showed the grand champion barrow for the second straight year. He sold the 252-pounder for $27.50 per pound ($6,930) to a support group. Michael Hein of Hebron sold the reserve champion barrow for $4.50 per pound ($1,269) to Dr. Jeff Weitzel of Deer Run Animal Hospital.
Owen Nelson, also of Hebron, sold the grand champion market gilt for a record-tying $8.50 per pound ($2,779.50) to R.E. Schoon Trucking. The pig weighed 327 pounds.
Dakota Bult of Hebron was next with the grand champion breeding gilt, which weighed 288 pounds. Crown Brick and Supply had the high bid of $4.50 per pound ($1,296).
The grand champion swine carcass brought $8.50 per pound ($2,184.50) for Andrew Bult of Crown Point. Standing in the reserve champion spot was Kouts' Aiden Blasko, who received $5 per pound ($1,200) from Nichole Hefner of Valparaiso.
Eighty-eight swine animals and carcasses raised $110,624.25.
In sheep, Tenley Neises of Crown Point received $22 per pound for the grand champion market lamb. Superior Engine Service of Lowell paid $2,904 for the 132-pounder. The 134-pound reserve champion lamb was exhibited by Hebron's Garrett Neal, who received $6.50 per pound ($871) from Apple Creek Farm.
Neal, the champion sheep showman, also sold one half of his grand champion pen of lambs, weighing 115 pounds, for $4.50 per pound ($517.50) to Lewin Club Lambs. Paycen Miller of Lowell sold both lambs in the reserve champion pen for $6 per pound (1,926) to Wynstar Inc.
Wilson Orange, also of Lowell, exhibited the grand champion sheep carcass. He earned $6 per pound ($558) from Nichole Hefner. The reserve champion sheep carcass was brought by Annalise Neal of Hebron, who received $7 per pound ($574) from Hanford Packing Co.
With 30 lambs and lamb carcasses selling, the sheep sale raised $25,072.50.
In meat goats, the grand champion market wether was exhibited by Claire Donaldson of Cedar Lake. She sold the goat for $500 to Hanford Packing Co. Hunter Baird of Lowell partnered with Greg Bydalek of Lake Village on the sale of the reserve champion wether. The price was $650.
In all, 14 meat goats fetched $9,450.
Lila Bush of Valparaiso exhibited the grand champion goat milk and sold a basket of dairy goat products for $400 to Bennett's Pub and Play. Nolan McCarty of Shelby sold a basket of reserve champion goat milk products for $200 to Wanda Middlebrook of Polk City, Fla.
Orange returned to the ring to sell the champion dairy wether. He earned $500 from Paw Haven Animal Hospital in Winter Haven, Fla. Lily Hamilton of Crown Point sold the reserve champion dairy wether for a record-tying $2,000 to Kraft Auction Service.
As a division, 13 dairy wethers sold for $6,175.
In dairy cattle, Addyson Hein of Crown Point sold a gallon of milk from her grand champion Holstein. Allie Construction had the high bid of $1,000. Addyson's brother, Hayden, sold reserve champion Holstein milk for $1,300 to Wynstar Inc.
With two milk sales, dairy exhibitors earned $2,300.
In poultry, Logan Downs of Crown Point sold the grand champion roasters for $300 to Tim Calkins of Chicago. Louis Ellis of Lowell was next with the reserve champion roasters. He received $300 from Kim Daugherty of Lowell.
With the grand champion pen of turkeys, Orange received $600 from J&R Lock Service. Hobart's Abigail Ivey sold a pen of heavy ducks, which were the reserve champion market birds, for a record $1,500 to Becca and John Maciejko of Morocco.
There were two more records set in the poultry auction. The first was for the grand champion eggs shown by Landon Rich of Cedar Lake. Friends and family paid him $400. The second record was for the reserve champion eggs shown by James Beamer of Cedar Lake. He received $250 from Tim Calkins.
Thirty-one poultry pens and two egg sales brought $12,900.
In rabbits, Liam Woodworth of Schneider sold two grand champions—the meat pen for $275 and the single fryer for $200, both going to the Kasparian Insurance Agency. His brother, Lake, sold the reserve champion fryer for $100 to Harper Tire.
Lake also brought the grand champion roaster and stewer. The roaster sold for $100 to Melissa Buggie DVM, and the stewer fetched a record $175 from Kasparian Insurance Agency.
A third brother, Lowell, sold the reserve champion meat pen for $200 to Lake County Farm Bureau Inc.
Jadalynn Barker of Schneider appeared with the reserve champion roaster and received $125 from Maggie Lump of Westpoint, Ind. Lily Hamilton of Crown Point sold the reserve champion stewer for a record $250 to G&G Asphalt Inc.
The rabbit sale generated $3,275 from 22 pens selling.
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