WLCF livestock auction sale totals over $112,000 - Raises an additional $12,000 for livestock facility fund

The annual Wheat Land Communities’ Fair livestock auction drew a large crowd to support the efforts of livestock exhibitors and simultaneously raise money to support the fair facilities. Livestock Committee Treasurer Lori Williams reported the total sale raised $112,465.

The total amount falls short of last year’s record breaking $116,300, and Williams attributes some of the reduction to the decrease in market value as compared to last year.

The Saturday afternoon auction on Aug. 30 featured over 50 exhibitors with a total of 91 animals being sold at the auction. The amount of total livestock is comparable to the numbers recorded within the last few years.

The extreme success of the sale is attributed to the hard work of local volunteers and exhibitors to contact potential buyers before the start of the auction, and the outstanding support from community members and businesses.

Prior to the start of fair every year, Livestock Committee Superintendent Dan Galbreath, with assistance from Randy Kulm and Bob Schoessler, contact individuals about purchasing an animal through the auction.

The auction is divided into departments by species, with beef being sold first, followed by swine, sheep, goats and rabbits.

This year, the sale was interrupted briefly for the auctioning of Tom the Turkey. The Dennis family raised the turkey and donated him to the auction, with all of the funds raised being given directly to the livestock facility fund.

Buyers donated from as large of amount as $750 down to $100 to the fund. Throughout the auction, approximately $12,000 was raised for the facility fund, Williams reported.

The swine sale auction is generally the largest, with 42 total hogs being sold in the Saturday sale. Exhibitors are allowed to sell both of their market animals in the auction, with the highest placing and quality animals being sold first.

In the swine department, the grand champion 4-H hog exhibited by Wade Schafer sold for $4.50 a pound to buyers Senator Mark Schoesler and Representative Joe Schmick. Michael Shields sold the grand champion FFA market hog for $4 a pound to Wheatland Waste Systems, Inc.

Shields also raised the reserve champion FFA hog and sold the pig for $2.50 a pound to Avista Utilities. 4-H reserve champion market hog owner Grace Greenwalt sold her hog to Mountain High Trucking and Kulm Farms for $3.75.

In the beef department, the grand champion 4-H steer exhibited by Gus Tracy sold for $2.85 per pound to Legacy Telecommunications and Power. TyAnn Tellefson sold the FFA grand champion steer for $3 to Curt and Randy Franz.

The reserve champion 4-H steer sold for $2.70 per pound to The McGregor Company and Jensen Produce, and was raised by Eliza Galbreath. Taylor Kulm sold her reserve champion FFA steer for $4 per pound to Jensen Produce.

FFA exhibitor Erica Leffel and 4-H exhibitor Brynne Nelson swept the champion ribbons in the sheep department. Leffel sold her champion lamb for $3.50 a pound to Wilbur Ellis-Warden, and sold her reserve champion lamb to Darrel and Diane Koss for $2.75 per pound. Nelson sold her champion lamb to Pohl Springs for $4.50 a pound, and sold her reserve champion lamb for $3.50 to Schoesler Farms.

Steve and Nanette Naught proved to be the buyers to outbid in the goat department and purchased three goats in the auction. They purchased the grand champion 4-H goat exhibited Thomas Rosen for $4; Nathan Naught’s FFA grand champion goat for $6 a pound; and Brianna Kinkade’s reserve champion FFA goat for $3 a pound.

The reserve champion 4-H goat exhibited by Bailey Dennis was purchased by Columbia Bank for $4.50 per pound.

In the rabbit department, Amy Anderson sold her grand champion rabbit to Smarty Pants Ranch for $110, while Katie Manke sold her reserve champion rabbit for $50 to the Holt Family and Kincaid Real Estate.

The success of the 2014 livestock auction has the livestock committee optimistic for the upcoming year and together the group is thankful for the community’s support of local youth. The money exhibitor’s raise during the auction typically is put towards coasts accumulated after purchasing the animal; such as feed, hay and tack costs.

The livestock committee is comprised of a group of volunteers with extensive experience with livestock and many who are still involved with various fields of agriculture. Livestock committee members are Dan Galbreath, Lori Williams, Randy and Debbie Kulm, Andy Williams, Brad Gering, Lisa Tellefson and Janet Manke.

The livestock committee is in charge of collecting entries for the fair, setting up the livestock show arenas and pens for the fair, and coordinating the livestock auction. The group is also responsible for finding judges for each individual livestock department during the fair.

The annual livestock auction is run by Booker Auction, who volunteers to donate their time to coordinate the event.