Randolph Fair: Portage Co. buyers set records

RANDOLPH, Ohio – One of the Portage County 4-H clubs is called the “Everything Under the Sun” club. And that just about sums up the animals that parade across the auction block during the annual Randolph Fair – everything under the sun.
There are the typical market hogs and steers and lambs, but then there are the rabbits and chickens, turkeys and geese, quail and pheasants.
The sale ring menagerie combined for an overall junior fair sale total of $283,072.05, down from last year’s $300,000+ total.
Buyers reached deep in their pockets to set nine records during the sale, which switched to a two-day format this year. Hogs were sold on Wednesday night of fair week, small animals started Saturday morning, and the steer sale was moved earlier two hours to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Record steer. Moore Well Service set a new record bid for the grand champion steer, paying $7.25 a pound for Morgan Moore’s 1,285-pound champion. The bid topped the previous sale record of $6 a pound set last year.
Lance Utt repeated his 2006 finish this year, raising the reserve champion market steer. Earlier this year, his now 1,319-pound Shorthorn was the points champion Shorthorn steer with the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association BEST program and also stood as the junior fair grand champion Shorthorn steer at the 2007 Ohio State Fair.
Middlefield Banking Company paid $1.70 a pound for Utt’s champion.
Michael Wells won champion steer project honors, which combines live animal conformation, skillathon and showmanship placings. His 1,400-pound Simmental steer sold for $1.40 a pound to Vic and Marcia Reed and Amy and Norm Friedman.
Jessica Earnest’s grand champion carcass steer, with a hanging weight of 900 pounds, sold for $3.50 a pound to Miner’s Tractor Sales. The reserve champion steer carcass, raised by Joey Adelman, sold for $3.45 a pound to Daniel Schuck Construction.
The 78 steers averaged $1.59 a pound including champions; $1.48 a pound, without.
Record lamb. Usually an auctioneer doesn’t get the first bid he throws out to buyers, and so John Kiko was a little shocked to get a quick taker on his opening bid of $10 a pound for the grand champion lamb.
Madison Moore’s 126-pound grand champion lamb finally earned a record bid of $23 a pound from John and Rachel Shircliff.
The price nearly doubled the previous record of $12.50 a pound set in 2003.
Katy Shircliff, who raised last year’s grand champion lamb, found herself back in the champions’ circle with the reserve champion. Dave Helmling Excavating paid $4 a pound for her 125-pound lamb.
The records bids kept rolling, as Travis Siegferth entered the ring, the winner of the grand champion carcass lamb banner. Locust Hill Farms paid a record $15 a pound for his 72-pound hanging weight lamb.
Geoff Baldwin Jr. sold his 80-pound reserve champion carcass lamb for $6 to Hyde Automotive.
In a new Portage County born and bred class, Danielle Sweitzer showed the grand champion and Matthew Heppe, the reserve champion.
The 38 live lambs averaged $2.98 a pound with champions; $2.17 a pound, without.
Hogs. Maggie Battista raised the grand champion market hog this year, selling her 273-pound entry to Swauger Building Co. for $5.75 a pound.
Kyle Kisamore’s 273-pound reserve champion hog sold for $4.50 a pound to Shamblin Cement.
Kody Hayes, who raised last year’s grand champion live hog, won grand champion honors this year with his carcass hog entry. It sold for $3.50 a pound to Bishop Bros. Construction.
Megan Smith’s reserve champion carcass hog sold for $4 a pound to Rebecca Carter, Randolph Township’s fiscal officer.
The 176 live hogs averaged $1.55 a pound with the champions; $1.40 a pound, without.
Goats. Amanda Hermann’s 99-pound goat entry topped a field of seven to win grand champion honors. And her excitement grew on sale day, as her goat sold for a record $1,100 to Dave Helmling Excavating, topping the previous record of $1,000 set in 2006.
Ron Marhofer bought Haylee Hermann’s reserve champion goat for $500.
The goats averaged $338.57 including the two champions; $154, without champions.
Small animals. Starting off Saturday morning’s small animal sale, the grand champion pen of meat rabbits, raised by Dale Graves, sold for a new record of $800 to Wideside Exotics Farm.
Portage County Commissioner Chuck Keiper paid $350 for the reserve champion rabbit pen, also raised by Dale Graves.
The nine pens averaged $261.11 with the champions; $171.43, without champions, aided by a $600 bid from the Portage County Rabbit Breeders for Alesha Wise’s pen.
The grand champion pen of pheasants, raised by Karly Wise, sold for a record $450 to Phase II Mold and Machine. The reserve champion pen, raised by Marissa Whitely, also earned a record bid: $275 from Portage County Commissioner Chuck Keiper.
A third pen of pheasants brought a bid of $50.
Katlyn Apitz raised the grand champion pen of quail, which also set a new record at $250, the bid of Pettigrew Feed & Hardware.
The reserve champion pen, raised by Kirsten Wise, sold for $200 to the Tom Wise family.
A total of six quail pens sold.
Joel Coumos raised this year’s grand champion duck, which sold for $225 to Commissioner Chuck Keiper. Phase II Mold and Machine paid $175 for Emily Williams’ reserve champion duck.
LaRee Nelson’s grand champion turkey sold for $650 to Alien Acres and Michelle Phelps’ reserve champion turkey brought an unofficial record $600 from De-Lux Mold and Machine.
Tyler Phelps raised this year’s grand champion goose, which sold for $550 to De-Lux Mold and Machine. De-Lux Mold and Machine also bought Alex Lamont’s reserve champion goose, paying $275.
Garrett Rohal’s grand champion pen of meat chickens brought a bid of $625 from Miner’s Tractor Sales. Dan Tomsho and Carolyn Adelman paid $650 for Chelsea Luli’s reserve champion pen of chickens.
Auctioneers. Kiko Auctioneers donated its services to the livestock sale. Kiko volunteers included: John Kiko, Jack Kiko, Jeff Kiko, Dick Kiko Jr., Jason Kiko, and John Slagle.
(Farm and Dairy Editor Susan Crowell can be reached at 800-837-3419 or at editor@farmanddairy.com.)