Family ties: Siblings keep the show wins coming

HOOKSTOWN, Pa. – You can trace family trees in the sale results from the annual Beaver County 4-H Stockman’s Club sale.
This year’s sale, held Aug. 27 during the Hookstown Fair, continued the sibling rivalries and successes that have been legion at the fair for more than 15 years.
Among the 4-H’ers who won champion honors are a trio of sisters and a teen who continues the string of wins his family started back in 1997.
Sisters battle. Sisters Theresa and Cheryl Domitrovich of Aliquippa dominated the market lamb show, showing four of the seven first-place lambs.
The judge went to Theresa’s 121-pound Suffolk for his grand champion, then gave the nod to Cheryl’s 127-pound lamb for reserve honors.
The win was a first for Theresa, which showed the reserve champion in 2002. Cheryl won grand champion honors in 2002 and reserve honors last year.
National Gypsum Company bought Theresa’s grand champion for $8 a pound and Unis Dental Associates bought the reserve champion for $8.25 a pound.
The 28 lambs averaged $3.24 a pound, with champions.
Eight lambs were donated back to resell benefiting the scholarship fund, earning $2,118.50.
The Jackson Three. Mark Jackson carried the winning tune he and his brothers have been singing in the market hog show for at least seven years.
In all but one year since 1997, at least one of the Jackson brothers – Eric, Ryan and Mark – have shown the grand or reserve champion market hogs at the Hookstown Fair.
Mark, who showed the reserve champion hog in 1997, climbed back in the champion’s circle with his 276-pound grand champion crossbred hog.
Herron’s Cash and Carry Feed paid $8.25 a pound for the champion.
Kelli Bambery showed the reserve champion hog, which weighed 261 pounds. Janoski Farm Country Restaurant paid $5.50 for her hog.
The 44 hogs averaged $2.33 a pound, including champions.
Three hogs resold to benefit the scholarship fund, raising $1,763.70.
Steers. Nikki Morgan raised the grand champion market steer, a 1,236-pound crossbred. Southside Garage paid $4.10 a pound for the champion steer, up from last year’s top bid of $3 a pound.
Rounding out the Domitrovich sister trio, Caitlyn Domitrovich showed the reserve champion steer. Her 1,269-pound Angus steer sold for $3.30 a pound to Rochester Giant Eagle, also an increase over last year’s bid of $2.50.
Steer exhibitors winning champion breed honors included: Elijah Eaton, champion Hereford; Eric Jackson, champion Shorthorn and reserve champion all other breeds; Daniel Allison, reserve champion Angus; Kristina McLaughlin, reserve champion Hereford; and Jason Heinlein, reserve champion Shorthorn.
The 32 steers averaged $1.80 a pound.
Auctioneer Harry Anderson donated his services to the livestock sale, which totaled a record $109,887.45, which includes the $3,882.20 on donated animals that will benefit the scholarship fund.