By Jordan Studer
Saturday morning as the rain fell on the Crawford County Fairgrounds during the Junior Fair Sale of Champions, old sale records were falling by the wayside. The first animal to be sold for a new record price was Alexus Burkhart’s Reserve Champion Overall Market Kid, going to Poet Biorefining for $5,000.
Burkhart explained how it was an honor to have her animal be sold for a record price, representing all of her hard work she had put in.
“It feels amazing. All that hard work paying off. Especially it being my own goat, raising it from my own barn,” Burkhart said.
The Grand Champion Overall Lamb, exhibited by Alan Leonhardt, was sold for a record price of $4,150 to a multitude of contributors including: WMS Ohio.com, DT Petroleum, Kennedy Lane Salon, Schiefer Ins., Mid-Wood Agronomy Services, Sunrise Co-op, United Bank, Brause Family Club Lambs, Poet Refining, Gene & Bev Brause, Kalbach Feeds, Brause Farms, and Becks Hybrids.
One of the contributors, Schiefer Insurance, discussed how contributing to the Sale of Champions each year is something they value greatly. One of the representatives of Schiefer Insurance present at the sale was Jennifer Scott. When asked what it meant to Scott and her company to be able to bid at the Sale of Champions, she reminisced on how it all started for the company.
“My dad established this company and when he was able to incorporate us all into the business, he always liked to support our area youth. This program was always very important to him, and we’ve all gone through the 4-H program as well. So, it’s one of the things we are most proud of to be able to come here and see what the kids have done and be able to give back a little bit. We’re just really proud to be here,” Scott explained.
Next to break a sale record was Lori Millenbaugh’s Grand Champion Hog, being sold for $5,000 to a slew of contributors including: Ag Credit, Tim Fike LLC., First Federal Community Bank, JD Equipment, Peoples Savings & Loan, Poet Biorefining, Pritchard Ins, Schilling Propane, Wilson Tire, Nationwide Ins & Financial Services in Galion, and King Livestock Feed.
Since this year was her first time having a Grand Champion Hog, Millenbaugh explained her excitement to have her Grand Champion Hog sold for a record price.
“I broke the record with my steer last year, and this is the first time I ever had Champion Hog, so it’s really great that I broke the record for the hog too,” Millenbaugh said.
Other records set included Kalen Haynes’ Grand Champion Poultry Overall-Roasters, selling for $950 to Mizick Miller, Plymale Ins, Bucyrus Kiwanis, and First Federal Community Bank. Gunner Chirstman’s Reserve Champion Poultry Overall-Turkey sold for a record $1,500 to Vasil Co, Kelley’s Paint, Hurst Auto Body, Norman’s Niche, ADM Benefit Plans, A-1 Printing, Garberick Realty, Quinn’s Equipment, Mark & Marla Scheffler, Crall’s Club Lambs, and Kevin & Amanda Myers.
“It feels pretty good. I mean I didn’t expect to. I expected to break even or a little bit lower, but it feels good,” Haynes expressed.
Making their first bidding appearance at the sale was Hempy Water Conditioning (HWC), who was more than willing to put in their bids and purchase multiple animals throughout the morning. When asking HWC representative, Caleb Benavidez, what it means to their company to support the Sale of Champions for the very first time, he explained that Crawford County is the company’s new found home, so they wanted to get out and support the community.
“It kind of means a lot because we moved from Ontario, Ohio to Crestline, Ohio so Crawford County is like our home now. So we kind of wanted to come out with a big bang this year,” Benavidez said.
As exhibitors parted ways with their animals, the 160th Crawford County Fair had come to an end leaving many memories and records in the books.