Records smashed at Summit County Fair

TALLMADGE, Ohio – Youth with big smiles managed to nickel and dime buyers to three new price records during the 2007 Summit County Fair livestock auction.
Auctioneer Jonathan Polcen dealt with cautious bidders the entire sale, and several times watched bids climb slowly, a nickel or dime at a time, toward their final resting places.
There were no market rabbits sold during this year’s sale, and there were fewer of every species shown. Most notable drops were in hogs, going from last year’s 35 to this year’s 23, and in steers, dropping from 11 to six.
Overall sale total was $28,551.20, down from last year’s $36,035.70.
Goats. Two of those new price records came during the market goat sale.
Ashley Estergall, who repeated her grand champion standing from last year, sold her 74-pounder for a record $255 to Miner’s Tractor Sales. That bid far exceeded the $100 Estergall earned with last year’s champion.
Carlena Helms stood in reserve champion placing with her 78-pound goat, and earned a whopping record $550 from her father, James Helms. Last year’s reserve champion, shown by Estergall, fetched a $60 bid.
The reserve champion was donated back for resale, and brought $85 on its second time through the ring.
Three goats brought a total $975, averaging $325.
Steers. The other record came when a smiling Alisa Shenigo appeared in the ring with her champion market steer.
The bid started at $1.50 per pound and climbed painstakingly slowly, a dime at a time.
Auctioneer Polcen spurred bidders on, with chants that “it’s only money” and “how can you tell for a dime?” urging them to raise their bidder’s card once more.
When it appeared all was said and done at $4 per pound, Polcen slowed the pace and contending bidders Miner’s Tractor Sales and Beaver Stump Removal kept at it.
In the end, Frank Shenigo of Beaver Stump Removal paid the record $4.25 per pound for the 1,162-pound project raised by his granddaughter. That bid was well above the previous record $3.55 per pound set in 2002.
Andy Luther’s 1,220-pound reserve champion steer brought $1.70 per pound from Duma’s Meats and Farm Market.
Six steers brought $12,658.60, averaging $1.80 per pound with champions and $1.22 per pound without.
Hogs. Newcomer Emily Ahrens took the grand champion title with her 265-pound market hog. Marhofer Chevrolet paid $5.65 per pound for the girl’s project, far short of the $8.75 per pound record.
Leppo Rents paid $2.70 per pound for Alisa Shenigo’s 258-pound reserve champion market hog. Glenn Leppo donated that hog back for resale to benefit the county’s scholarship program. On its second time through the ring, the hog sold for $1.35 per pound to Duma’s Meats and Farm Market.
The 23 hogs brought $10,687.75, averaging $464.68 with champions and $387.88 without.
Lambs. Emily Ahrens also took the grand champion spot in the market lamb contest with her 130-pound project animal.
Miner’s Tractor Sales paid $5.75 per pound for the lamb, then donated it back for resale. On its second trip through the ring, it brought $1.45 per pound from Duma’s Meats and Farm Market.
Ashley Estergall’s 126-pound reserve champion market lamb brought $2.40 per pound from Leppo Rents, who also donated the project back for resale. Mindale Farm paid $1.45 per pound on the resale.
Five lambs brought $1,944.85, averaging $398.97.
Poultry. Joey Ebner showed he’s got the right stuff by showing the grand and reserve champion chickens and turkeys.
Ebner’s grand champion pen of three chickens brought $375 from Marilyn Molchan Wotowiec, and his reserve champion brought $250 from Hyde’s Automotive. His chickens were the only ones shown.
Ebner’s 28-pound champion turkey brought $295 from Leppo Rents, who donated the bird for resale. It brought $180 the second time from JZ’s Wild Bunch Feed the Hungry.
His 30-pound reserve champion turkey brought $270 from Miner’s Tractor Sales.
Carlena Helms showed the only two meat ducks. Her grand champion brought $175 from Steve’s Farm Equipment Repair, and her reserve champion brought $150 from Lindsey Burley.
Two pens of chickens brought $725.
Four turkeys brought $1,235, averaging $308.75.
Two ducks brought $325.
Volunteers. Auctioneer for the sale was Jonathan Polcen. Ringmen were Andy Stegh, John Stegh and Steve Ahrens.
(Reporter Andrea Zippay welcomes feedback by phone at 800-837-3419 or by e-mail at azippay@farmanddairy.com.)