HOOKSTOWN, Pa. – A cool breeze through the sale arena helped push away humidity from rain showers earlier in the day, but bidding stayed hot and heavy Aug. 22 at the 2003 Hookstown Fair.
Sale receipts totaled $92,922.30, up $10,000 over last year’s total.
Quick start. Auctioneer Harry “Hap” Anderson took the podium and welcomed Kayla Seibel’s grand champion market lamb to the arena to kick off the sale.
Bidders jumped in immediately, pushing the bid higher a quarter at a time until Dave and Tyler Fritsch of Fritsch Farm Supply held the last bid card. Their $10.75 bid was $3 higher than last year’s winning bid.
Then the unexpected happened.
Fritsch, who said he doesn’t like the taste of lamb and had no plans of putting the animal in his freezer, motioned to the auctioneer that the animal should be resold with the proceeds to benefit the county’s scholarship fund.
When the lamb came back to the ring, Rochester Giant Eagle topped all bidders with a $1.65 bid on the 118-pounder.
Sixteen-year-old Cheryl Domitrovich’s 128-pound Suffolk was up next. Domitrovich, who showed last year’s grand champion, fetched a $7.50 bid from Unis Dental Associates for her project.
For the second consecutive year, Samantha Buffalini showed the champion lightweight lamb. Reserve weight division winners were Jennifer Pavlik, light; Zack Iorio, medium; and Jonathan Iorio, heavy.
Rate of gain award went to Cassie Smith.
Forty-one lambs sold for $12,035.50, averaging $2 a pound with champions and $1.66 without.
Steers. With just four years of steer-raising experience under his belt, 17-year-old Brian Diamond captured grand champion steer honors with a 1,314-pound Maine-Anjou cross.
High-bidder Shawrose Construction in North Fayette shelled out $3 a pound for the project, also named champion all other breeds in earlier competition.
Eric Jackson’s 1,190-pound steer took reserve champion honors. Pizzas by Marchelloni paid $2.50 a pound for the champion Shorthorn.
Other champion breed champion honors went to Scott Goehring, Angus; and John Steiner, Hereford.
Reserve breed winners include Hillary Morgan, all other breeds; Andrew Brown, Shorthorn; Nikki Morgan, Angus; and Kelsey Winkle, Hereford.
The rate of gain trophy went to Evan Reed for his 1,585-pound Charolais.
Thirty steers sold for $56,105.85, averaging $1.55 a pound with champions and $1.45 without.
Hogs. Though he described himself as excited, Eric Jackson admitted some of the novelty has worn off winning the hog competition.
The youngster took the top spot this year, as well as in 1998 and 2002, and finished second in 2001.
“I’m real grateful, but I’ve been here before. I’m more excited about my steer,” he said of his first reserve champion steer project.
Jackson also said he plans to focus his attention on getting the top spot with a steer next year, and will give his brother, Mark, and other club members a shot at the champion ribbon.
His 2003 grand champion market hog brought $5 a pound from the Thompson Agency in Georgetown.
The 247-pounder was also named champion heavyweight.
Caitlyn Domitrovich exhibited the reserve champion hog and pocketed $3.60 a pound for her 238-pounder. Buck Stove and Fireplace in Monaca was high bidder.
The champion lightweight was exhibited by CJ Pugh. Reserve weight champions were Kelli Bambery, heavy; Molly Winkle, medium; and Daniel Brown, light.
Rate of gain winner was Elizabeth Harlan.
Other hog exhibitors had reason for excitement, too – the entire hog barn was cemented this year, making it easier to clean pens and move hogs.
Sixty-seven hogs sold for $24,780.95, averaging $1.45 a pound with champions and $1.38 without.
Scholarships. Fifteen animals were donated back for resale with proceeds earmarked to benefit the county scholarship fund.
Bidders helped add $2,519 to the fund.
(Reporter Andrea Myers welcomes reader feedback by phone at 1-800-837-3419, ext. 22, or by e-mail at amyers@farmanddairy.com.)
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