JANESVILLE — Auctioneers loudly called out bids Friday and youth exhibitors crossed their fingers that those would come in high in an annual tradition, the Rock County 4-H Fair Meat Animal Sale.
The sale, that lasted about three hours, wrapping up just before noon on Friday, was held per tradition inside the Stock Pavilion at the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds, before an overflow crowd that filled folding metal chairs and the bleachers and peered in through doorways and uncovered window openings.
The animals were purchased by both private individuals and local companies.
Over the course of three hours, several dozen youth stood in front of the crowd as their animals and animal carcasses were auctioned off.
At the Sale of Champions that concluded the event, the following youth were recognized as their animals were sold:
Sydney Watson, Fulton 4-H, Grand Champion LambBraden Peterson, Evansville 4-H, Reserve Grand Champion LambKinsley Wetzel, Turtle 4-H, Champion Carcass LambVin Wetzel, Turtle 4-H, Reserve Champion Carcass LambSadie Punzel, LaPrairie 4-H, Grand Champion BeefLebron Roden, Plymouth 4-H, Reserve Grand Champion BeefJaxon Dooley, Plymouth 4-H, Champion Carcass BeefSam George, Evansville 4-H, Reserve Champion Carcass BeefBlake Barlass, Johnstown 4-H, Grand Champion BarrowTripp Gunn, Plymouth 4-H, Reserve Grand Champion BarrowJackson Krausse, Fulton 4-H, Champion Carcass BarrowBlake Barlass, Johnstown 4-H, Reserve Champion Carcass Barrow
Taylor Wilson, of Magnolia 4-H, smiled broadly as she held up a sign with a photo of her and her sheep, while an auctioneer called on bidders for her animal.
Wilson said the money she earns from the sale of her fair animals goes into a college fund. This is her fourth year showing animals. She showed sheep, swine and dairy cows this year.
She said it’s a great experience to show animals.
“I just think it’s a fun place for all kids just to get together and sell their lambs or pigs or beef,” she said.
Every year she writes thank you letters to her bidders.
Sadie Punzel, 11, has been showing animals for three years. This year she won both the Grand Champion Beef and Grand Champion Heifer awards.
A lot of hard work goes into preparing a champion animal, Punzel said. She said she woke up every morning at 5 a.m. to work with her animals for about four hours.
She said weight is a big part producing a champion steer. Hers weighed in at 1,454 pounds and kept still while the auction started.
“It’s about changing the feed to make sure we got him to the right weight,” she said. “They also have to walk right and have good hair.”
The auctioneer called it “an absolute monster,” of a steer and said anyone would be lucky to buy it.
Woodman’s Market of Janesvile eventually won the bidding.
A bidding war later broke out over Blake Barlass’ Grand Champion Barrow, that weighed in at 282 pounds, between Woodman’s Market and Kayser Chevrolet Buick GMC. Kayser won, buying it for $30 per pound.
Chris Sturdevant, the regional director for Woodman’s Market, said Woodman’s was founded in Janesville and still has its headquarters in the city, and it’s important to give back. Sturdevant said the animals that Woodman’s buys will be resold and the proceeds donated to Rock County 4-H clubs
Kristen Popp, executive vice president of Woodman’s Market, agreed that it’s important to have a presence in the community. Kids are the future and it’s important to build those connections now, she said.
“It’s our customers who are out here today,” Popp said. “We try to have a strong presence in all the communities we serve and give back where we can.”
The Rock County 4-H fair continues through Sunday. More information is at rockcounty4hfair.com.
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