Last year’s grand champion turkey stands on display following the 2014 livestock auction. (File photo)

WARSAW — The 2015 Kosciusko County 4-H Livestock Auction will be Friday, July 17. The auction starts at 10 a.m. and the Sale of Champions starts at 7 p.m. Peg Zimmerman is the chairperson.

The 4-H Auction is the culmination of a year of hard work and dedication for more than 400 4-H animal exhibitors in Kosciusko County. Through these projects, 4-H members learn a number of valuable life skills and lessons. This is the final step for their projects where they learn about marketing aspects.

The auction starts promptly at 10 a.m. The sale order is different this year. The auction continues with no breaks through the following order: swine, rabbit, goat, sheep, dairy product, poultry and waterfowl, dairy calf feeder steer, dairy and beef steers, pork loins and ribeyes.

Buyers may register at the 4-H office at the fairgrounds starting at 8 a.m. Friday, July 17, but can register them anytime during fair week at the 4-H office.

The 2014 sale total was $432,319.19, plus $5,355.60 from the Buyers Support Group for a grand total of $437,674.79.

The Sale Summary Record Sale was up 16 lots from 2013. The total dollars up is $52,634.35 from 2013. The previous sale total record was in 2013 ($385,040.44) and the record number of total lots sold previously was 542 in 2013.

The Sale of Champions will include the grand and/or reserve grand champion animals of each species in the same rotation as the regular sale. The king and queen kisses will also be sold during this sale.

The Sale of Champions will follow the same sale order as the regular auction.

Poultry members will have an option to sell if they meet new project requirements.

“We have a new 4-H dairy lease program this year with 22 youth participating. Our dairy project has grown from eight members last year to 37 members this year,” said Kelly Heckaman of the Purdue Extension office.

In addition, one may opt to just add a set dollar amount for a specific 4-Her’s animal. This can be accomplished by filling out an add-on slip in the 4-H office during the week of the fair, in addition to the day of the auction.

Sale bills will be available at the 4-H office at the fairgrounds or on www.ag.purdue.edu/counties/kosciusko.