4-Hers Do Well At Sale Of Champions
The 13th annual sale of champions saw 15 champion and reserve champion animals go up on the auction block as well as the 4-H King and Queen Kisses. When the sale was over approximately $54,375 had been raised with $1,550 dedicated to the Kurt Miller Memorial Fund.
Miller was a nine year 4-H member, a member of the Beaver Dam Better 4-Hers, who died suddenly in April. Miller was also an active FFA member and a member of the Burkett Volunteer Fire Department.
The last lot of the sale was dedicated to donations for the scholarship fund at the Kosciusko County Community Foundation. Bidders raised their paddles and pledged $50 each.
Highest bid of the night went to Hannah Tucker, a 10 year 4-Her from Milford. Tucker did a sale first by selling her grand champion beef steer and reserve grand champion barrow at the same time. The winning bid was $10,500. Tucker is a member of the Milford Successful 4-Hers and the daughter of Steve and Valerie Tucker.
Jared Templin, a nine year 4-H member sold his grand champion barrow for $6,550. He is a member of Milford Helping Hands 4-H Club and the son of Terry and Karen Templin. As this year’s 4-H King, he also auctioned off a kiss.
While bidding was going on for the kiss, Auctioneer Dennis Polk directed Templin to encourage the crowd to keep bidding. The winning bid was for $950 and the kiss went to Emmerson Krull who admitted she had a bit of a crush on the 4-H King.
The proceeds of Templin’s kiss went to the beef barn.
Evan Schmidt, a nine year 4-H member from Warsaw sold his grand champion rabbit meat pen for $1,500, while his sister, Elizabeth, a four year 4-H member sold her reserve grand champion meat pen for $1,200. Both belong to the Leesburg Mighty Farmers and are the children of James and April Schmidt.
Dane Jenkins, a six year 4-H member received $2,925 for his grand champion specialty market goat. Dane is a member of the Milford Helping Hands 4-H Club and the son of Gary and Tonya Jenkins.
Sara Tucker, a six year 4-H member received $1,100 for her grand champion dairy market goat. Tucker belongs to Mentone United 4-H club and is the daughter of Chad and Nicole Tucker.
Kaleb Dausman a third year 4-H member, received $1,450 for his grand champion senior doe goat milk. Dausman is a member of the Kosciusko County 4-H Goat Club and the son of Matt Dausman.
Jordyn Leininger, a second year 4-H member, received $2,875 for her grand champion market lamb. Leininger is from Pierceton, is a member of Sidney Triple S 4-H Club. She is the daughter of Thad and Rochelle Leininger.
Elizabeth Zorn was this year’s 4-H Queen. She is a member of Syracuse Community Hands 4-H Club and is the daughter of Glen and Penny Zorn of Warsaw. The proceeds of her kiss wen to the Sheep barn.
The queen’s kiss went for $1,325 with lots of bidders. In the end Richard Williamson, Zorn’s grandfather, received her kiss.
Abbi Curtis, a seven year 4-H member, sold her grand champion brown swiss for $5,000. Curtis is a member of Leesburg Mighty Farmers and is the daughter of Justin “Tug” and Laura Curtis.
Makena Sausaman, a six year 4-H member, received $9,500 for her grand champion diary calf feeder steer. She is a member of Milford Helping Hands and is the daughter of Matt and Christi Sausaman of Syracuse.
Karis Tucker, a nine year 4-H member, received $2,000 for her grand champion dairy steer. Tucker is a member of Mentone United 4-H Club and is the daughter of Chad and Nichole Tucker. It was also noted she was handling her cow while recovering from knee surgery.
Ashleigh Beer, an eight year 4-H member, sold her grand champion beef steer for $6,000. She is a member of Milford Helping Hands and the daughter of Randy and Deb Beer.