Hundreds of animals sold at Wayne County Fair livestock auction
By Patricia Faulhaber
September 17, 2012
851
The Show Arena was packed full of potential buyers during both days of the annual livestock auctions held Sept. 12 and 13. The bidding was competitive on the first day for the rabbits, lambs, goats, chicken, geese and turkeys.
In total, 18 rabbits, 52 goats, 99 lambs and 120 chickens, geese and turkeys were sold. Tom Stocksdale, fair board director, said that the auction has been a yearly tradition for more than 75 years.
We believe we will have over 600 bidders over the next two days, Stocksdale said.
The dairy product auction was yesterday and we broke a record with $27,900, which is $2,000 over the last record, he said.
Many of the bidders were representing local companies, while others were the parents or grandparents of 4-H and FFA members. Dale and Marilyn Uhler, from Creston, were there to bid on their grandchildrens animals.
One of our grandkids has a pig and one has a goat. Well turn the goat and keep the pig for the meat, said Marilyn Uhler.
Geoffrey Norris, the Junior Fair King, and Emily Rehm, Queen, were on hand to help hand out certificates to buyers. The auctioneers were Dave Aucher and Steve Andrew. Stocksdale said both auctioneers volunteered their time and talents for the auctions.
PNC Bank donated a new flat screen television that was mounted above the auctioneer stand so that bidders could see the number of the animal and the 4-H members name. Plus, employees from PNC Bank and The Ohio State University Extension office helped clerk both days of the sales.
Total sales for goats were $15,742. Goat prices varied from $2.50 to $11 a pound for the champions. Total sales for lambs came to $55,584, with prices from $6 to $35 a pound for the champions.
One of the highest prices of the first night was for a champion market lamb presented by Kyler Graber of Orrville. It weighed 143 pounds and sold for $35 a pound. Each of two market goats, champion at 77 pounds presented by Rochelle LeFever of Orrville, and reserve champion at 83 pounds presented by Tristen Stoll from Marshallville, sold for $11 a pound.
Rabbit sales came to $4,600. Top rabbits, grand champion at 14.52 pounds, presented by Hattie Caar, went for $800, purchased by the Troy Miller Agency and reserve champion at 13.42 pounds, presented by Elizabeth Rhoads, went for $775 to the Western Reserve Group.
Total poultry sales were $28,300. Champion chicken at 15.52 pounds, presented by Bryce Payne, sold for $1,300 to Gerber Poultry. Champion duck at nine pounds, presented by Jonathon Zimmerly, sold for $1,000 to Ron Burge Trucking, Shade Trucking and Santmyer Oil.
Champion goose, almost 13 pounds, presented by Ben Ladrach, sold for $1,400 to Ron Burge Trucking, Shade Trucking and Santmyer Oil and the champion turkey, almost 32 pounds, presented by John Kelby, sold for $850 to Clothing Warehouse.
Market hogs and beef and dairy cattle were scheduled for the second day of the Junior Fair Livestock Auction.
