Sale of Champions showcases youth achievements

COSHOCTON – The Junior Fair Auction is always an exciting night for 4-H members to showcase their grand and reserve grand champion livestock. Hunter Arena was packed Thursday, Oct. 5 as animals were sold to the highest bidder and 4-H members said goodbye (some tearfully) to their animals.

The grand champion dairy feeder was the first animal on the auction block. This prize-winning animal was raised by Ryan Greten and sold to People’s Bank.

“I want to thank them very much for buying him,” said Greten. “I’m planning to put the money toward college.”

The reserve grand champion dairy feeder was exhibited by Dakota Williamson and purchased by the Jeff Drennen Dealerships.

“I’d like to thank him a lot,” said Williamson. “I’ve been working really hard getting ready for show day and it paid off in the end.”

The grand champion market chicken was purchased by Josh and Julia Fisher and exhibited by Claire Killiany. The reserve grand champion market chicken was exhibited by Peyton Shroyer and purchased by AK Steel.

The grand champion market wether goat was exhibited by Hunter Cannon and purchased by Grillin’ Dave Style who has been bidding on animals at the Coshocton County Fair for 35 years.

“I wanted to come down and support the kids in this county,” he said. “I had another company in Coshocton for 30 years and I was a supporter of this sale then. Just helping the youth out in this county is important.”

The reserve grand champion market wether goat went to Diane McCoy, Camila Graham, Coshocton County Clerk of Courts, Susan Turner, Coshocton County Recorder, and Keith McCoy. It was exhibited by Shelby Cannon.

“It’s very emotional,” said Cannon about letting her goat go.

She plans to save her money from the sale.

“I will probably invest it or put it in savings and save it up for college,” she said.

The grand champion market hog went to Eslich Wrecking Company and was exhibited by Kalie Rettos. The reserve grand champion market hog was purchased by Miller Funeral Home and exhibited by Bryce Duncan.

“Our girls have been involved in 4-H the last five or six years,” said Matt Miller. “So we know what it takes to raise these hogs and we love coming out and supporting these kids.”

The grand champion market turkey was raised by Janay Fetzer and purchased by Wiley’s Finest / Organic Technologies.

“I greatly thank them,” said Fetzer. “This is my last year of 4-H and this will help with college.”

Paul Wiley said he enjoys supporting the community through the junior fair auction.

“We like to support the community and see the hard work of all these 4-H kids,” said Wiley. “It gives them work ethic.”

The reserve grand champion market turkey was raised by Johnathan Woodward and purchased by Coshocton Trucking.

The grand champion market lamb was purchased by Walhonding Valley Sand and Gravel, Three Rivers Energy, and ASB Farm and was exhibited by Hunter Meade.

“These young people and their families commit a huge amount of time, effort, and resources to better themselves and the community,” said Alan Brinker of Three Rivers Energy. “We did it a long time ago in 4-H and it’s cool to do this again to help them and in 40 years, they can do this again.”

Ezra Helmick of Walhonding Valley Sand and Gravel said that supporting the junior fair auction is a way to give back.

“We were 4-H members at one time in life also and people supported us,” he said. “It’s about giving back and we hope these people will support our business in the future.”

The reserve grand champion market lamb was purchased by The Home Loan Savings Bank, Lity Scrap Yard, Gemini Corporation, and PSI Industrial Solutions. It was exhibited by Laney Mizer, who has been with her lamb since it was born.

“It’s very hard,” she said about letting her lamb Scooby go.

She plans to use the money to purchase next year’s lamb and to save for college.

The grand champion market steer was purchased by the Jeff Drennen Dealerships and exhibited by Hunter Mizer. The reserve grand champion market steer was raised by Allie McCoy and was also purchased by the Jeff Drennen Dealerships.

The grand champion market duck was purchased by Century National Bank and Owens and Manning Attorneys and exhibited by Marissa Moore. The reserve grand champion market duck was exhibited by Jaiden Matthews and purchased by Shelly Materials.

“Thank you so much for buying him,” said Matthews. “I really appreciate it.”

The grand champion rabbit fryers were purchased by Given-Dawson-Paisley Funeral Home and exhibited by Madalyn Cutshall. The reserve grand champion pen of three rabbit fryers were purchased by Muskingum Valley Health Center and raised by Brenna Udder.

“It’s sad,” she said about letting her rabbits go. “But they’re just a project.”

The supreme goat project went to State Representative Larry A. Householder. Supreme llama project was sold to Wiley’s Finest / Organic Technologies. Supreme dairy products went to Bakersville Garage, Pearl Valley Cheese, Precision Truck Solutions, and Gerber and Sons.

See the special sale of champions section in the Oct. 18 issue of The Beacon for complete information and photos of the junior fair auction.

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