Allegan Auction Reaches $1M Threshold
Published: Friday, September 25, 2026
The Allegan County Youth Livestock Auction enjoyed record-breaking success last week. With 426 total lots selling, receipts were $1,074,925—the first million-dollar sale in the fair's history. Last year's auction total was $936,633.
The beef and dairy beef auctions generated almost half of that total. Forty-seven beef steers and seven dairy steers brought in $494,675.50. Average prices were sky-high: $7.18 per pound for beef steers and $4.09 per pound for dairy steers.
Kolton Huff of Otsego led off the beef sale with his 1,330-pound grand champion steer. He sold the crossbred for $8 per pound ($10,640) to Cornerstone Ag. McKenna Modreske of Wayland was next with the reserve champion steer. Immersive Homes offered $8 per pound ($11,960) for the 1,495-pound steer.
Two beef steers brought a sale-high $13 per pound. One was the fourth overall steer shown by Sawyer Maurer of Otsego, who earned $17,732 from H&K Excavating and Jacob Sanchez. The other was exhibited by Holland's Case Brink, who won first place in beef showmanship. He received $17,719 from Van Kampen Freight Services.
Wyatt Weick of Hopkins showed the grand champion beef carcass. He sold the 1,495-pound carcass for $7 per pound ($10,465) to Mugen Construction. Travis DeWeerd of Otsego brought the reserve champion carcass, earning $8 per pound ($8,800) from Thornapple Veterinary Medical Center. His beef carcass weighed 1,100 pounds.
In the dairy steer sale, Farmers Co-op Elevator purchased the 1,554-pound grand champion shown by Allie Coffey of Allegan.
The price was $4 per pound ($6,216). Madilyn Oliver of South Haven sold the reserve champion dairy steer for $5 per pound ($7,850) to Kyle Thompson Construction. The steer weighed 1,570 pounds.
Standing in first place in the barrow show was Cooper Ostrom of Dorr. He sold his 301-pound grand champion for $11 per pound ($3,311) to Dumont Lake Family Campground. The reserve champion barrow was also 301 pounds and was exhibited by Paisley Miller of Hopkins. She received $6 per pound ($1,806) from Miller Electric.
Abigail Arendsen of Hamilton led the way in the gilt show. She sold her 310-pound grand champion for $13.50 per pound ($4,185) to Brad Iverson of Proline Concrete. Macie Kleinheksel of Holland auctioned the reserve champion gilt for $9 per pound ($2,547) to Farm Bureau Insurance and Jonathan Hop.
The grand champion swine carcass belonging to Maddie Harmon of Shelbyville brought $6.50 per pound ($1,787.50), courtesy of Generation III Excavating. The carcass weighed 275 pounds. Modreske had the reserve champion swine carcass, which sold for $8.50 per pound ($2,337.50) to Zeeland Farm Service. The carcass weighed 275 pounds.
The swine sale fetched $365,361, with 195 hogs bringing an average price of $6.65 per pound.
In sheep, Anastastia Klingenberg of Hamilton sold the 136-pound grand champion ewe for $7 per pound ($959) to Morren Feeds. With the 175-pound reserve champion ewe, Maci Jablonski of Hopkins received $7 per pound ($1,225) from Hiemstra Butchering.
Brenner Excavating paid $6 per pound ($870) for the 145-pound grand champion wether shown by Alyssa DeJonge of Hamilton. Alyssa's sister, Kaylee, sold the 148-pound reserve champion wether for $5 per pound ($740) to Waanders Concrete Co.
In the sheep carcass show, Joy Hiemstra of Shelbyville won grand champion with her 120-pound lamb. She sold it for $5 per pound ($600) to VanderKolk Cattle Co. Her brother, Alex, was next with the 129-pound reserve champion carcass. He received $4.50 per pound ($580.50) from Craig and Kerry Tucker of Hopkins.
Forty-nine sheep were auctioned off, raising $45,915.50, for an average of $7.09 per pound.
Also contributing to the sale total were 52 goats that brought $48,304, or $11.48 per pound.
Kami Veen of Hamilton was a big winner, showing the grand champion market wether and earning the top showman title. She sold the 91-pound wether for $12.50 per pound ($1,137.50) to Milbocker's farm of Allegan. The reserve champion wether was exhibited by Kami's sister, Avery, who received $8 per pound ($784) from Keystone Cooperative.
Hiemstra showed the grand champion dairy market goat, earning $8 per pound ($592) from Heasley Seeds. Kenneth Gillhespy of Plainwell was next with the reserve champion dairy wether. Pickle Street Veterinary Service purchased it for $5 per pound ($450).
Leah Jablonski of Hopkins sold the grand champion goat carcass for $11 per pound ($825) to VanderKolk Cattle Co. Curtis Morely of Holland sold the reserve champion carcass for $10 per pound ($740) to Keystone Cooperative.
In the dairy starter auction, Kylee Thompson raked in $5 per pound ($3,140) for her 628-pound grand champion calf. Heasley Seeds of Byron Center had the high bid. Hattan Dykstra of Wayland sold the reserve champion dairy starter for $7 per pound ($4,459) to Nutrien Ag Solutions. The calf weighed 637 pounds.
Fourteen dairy starter calves brought $43,732.75, with an average of $5.81 per pound.
Dairy youths gathered in the auction ring to raise money for the 4-H dairy program. Donations responded in a big way, donating $42,175. The largest single donation was $8,750 from Schaendorf Custom Farming. Carlton Petroshus exhibited the grand champion Jersey cow, and Logan Welch showed the champion AOB heifer.
In the rabbit auction, Ayla Flynn of Dorr received an impressive $425 per pound ($5,525) for her grand champion meat pen. The buyer was Burnips Boyz Stump Grinding.
The reserve champion rabbit meat pen was shown by Anna Humes of Plainwell. She earned $25 per pound ($275) from Karen Percival of Hard Rock Farm.
Allegan's Sawyer Jadin sold the grand champion fryer to Gary Clark Storage& Repair for $60 per pound ($300). Jayden Reed of Dorr auctioned the reserve champion fryer for $35 per pound ($192.50) to Class Act Salon.
In all, 36 rabbit pens brought $17,149, with an average of $45.06 per pound.
In the turkey auction, Gunner Beldon of Allegan led the way by selling his grand champion meat pen for $17.50 per pound ($875). The buyer was HES Equipment and A&B Farms of Holland. Clay Miller of Hopkins was next with the reserve champion meat pen. Meert Cattle purchase the pen for $25 per pound ($1,300).
Nine turkey pens were sold, generating $8,213. The average price was $16.76 per pound.
In the poultry auction, siblings Landon and Kendra Chrusciel of Dorr both sold grand champion chickens. Landon auctioned the grand champion roaster for $40 per pound ($996) to Cathy Verhage, while Kendra's grand champion broiler fetched $70 per pound ($938) from Hilltop Food and Fuel.
Hope Reed of Dorr sold the reserve champion roaster for $30 per pound ($588) to Moline Co-op. Ryan Shelton's reserve champion broiler brought $25 per pound ($265), courtesy of Keystone Cooperative. Shelton is from Hamilton.
Sixteen poultry pens sold for $8,733.55, for an average of $32.69 per pound.
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