By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
One attraction that many of the participants look forward to at the Crawford County Fair is the Sale of Champions, where they hope all of their hard work for the year pays off. This year the Sale of Champions will be switching formats to a more familiar one.
Like last year, the Sale of Champions will take place on the final Saturday of the Crawford County Fair. However, like in years past, it will be the champions being sold first before moving on to the regular sale. During the sale, the kids will be introduced and their picture will be taken with their champion animal along with the purchaser.
Another familiar aspect of the sale – returning after two years – will be the kids returning to being penned up, with 33 percent of the lots being sold individually and 66 percent of the lots being sold in pens of three.
Crawford County Livestock Committee President Duane Shawk explained what the funds from the sale would go towards once the sale is complete.
“The money from the sale goes back to the kids,” Shawk said. “A lot of kids use it for their college fund, get a car, or their education.”
Shawk explained that the Sale of Champions is a good way for businesses to give back to the kids and families who support them throughout the year.
“It is great advertising for the businesses to help give back to the youth that work all year long on the projects. The youth in the 4-H program are some of the best in Crawford County in terms of work ethic, giving back to the county, and having future goals,” Shawk said. “The kids are also working with some of the best in the county. So it is a great opportunity for the businesses to give to some of the best youth in the county and it is great advertising in giving back to some of the families that support them all year, too.”
Junior Fair Board member Mackenzie Kent explained what the Sale of Champions means to her.
“It is important to me,” Kent said. “If you put in a lot of work and work with your animals, and put in the hours, and if you do well, you should deserve the sale of champions, so you get a chance for more money for all your hard work.”
Handling the processing of the meat from the Sale of Champions will be Links Country Meats. The meat processing company will also have an informative open house to the public, so that they can see the animal on the rail, while representatives from Links inspect the animal.