Fair sales reach more than $1.7 million, a record

The total of all three sales — market livestock, dairy and small animal — reached a new record amount of $1,703,564.25, which is up from 2022 by $73,436.25.

It all started on Thursday at the market livestock auction in the main show arena, where a total of 33 lambs, 290 hogs and 90 steers were sold. As they have for the past few years, auctioneers accepted bids online and in person.

The top exhibitors were as follows:

—Lambs: The grand champion lamb was exhibited by Marshall Miller and purchased by Kiko Auctioneers, Realtors & Advisors for $27 per pound. The reserve champion lamb exhibited by Reide Black was purchased by Dino Piergallini & Sons Equipment Inc. - Dino Rents for $27 per pound.

—Hogs: The grand champion hog was exhibited by Karter Ellwood and purchased by TCM Waterproofing LLC for $23 per pound. The reserve champion hog was exhibited by Seely Welch and purchased by Gateway Royalty LLC for $23 per pound.

—Market Steers: The grand champion market steer was exhibited by Annistyn Oszust and purchased by the Kimble Company for $11 per pound. The reserve champion market steer exhibited by Makenna Oszust was purchased by WM Commercial Roofing for $9.25 per pound.

—Bred & Fed: The Bred & Fed grand champion market steer exhibited by Lillian Sproul was purchased by Eleet Cryogenics Inc. for $7.50 per pound. The Bred & Fed reserve champion market steer was exhibited by Kielyn Simmons and purchased by Wendy’s of Tuscarawas County for $7 per pound.

The total of sales at the dairy sale on Friday was $126,300. The top six baskets purchased were as follows: $5,000, Beck’s Hybrids, Holmes Ag Service and Kolt Andreas, Gerber and Sons, and Hubner Seed; $6,500, Four Pines; $7,000, Gordon Milk Transport; $7,000, Mako’s Market and Pharmacy; $6,500, Kimble Company; and $6,500, in memory of Wanda Zeigler. Thirty-four smaller baskets filled with dairy products also were sold.

The results of the small animal sale on Saturday included the sale of goats, rabbits and poultry. The total for the sale was $176,419, which was up from last year’s total of $147,965.

The top exhibitors at the small animal auction were as follows:

—Market Goats: The grand champion market goat exhibited by Kody Stein was purchased by Cronebaugh Auction Service, CYA Exchange and Bob Hall Auctioneer for $22 a pound. The reserve champion market goat exhibited by Jacqui Blose was purchased by Michelle and Lauren Rennicker and Bases Loaded Indoor Training Facility for $16 a pound.

—Rabbit Pens: The grand champion rabbit pen exhibited by Rachel Sigler was purchased by Novelis Uhrichsville Works for $1,900. The reserve champion rabbit pen exhibited by Madalyn Meck was purchased by Mike-Matco Tools for $1,400.

—Broilers: The grand champion broilers exhibited by Lincoln Flinner were purchased by Gateway Royalty LLC for $3,100. The reserve champion broilers exhibited by Norah Chismar were purchased by Jamie’s Apple Treats for $2,250.

—Turkey: The grand champion turkey exhibited by Hunter Albright was purchased by Bennington Propane & Tappan Lakeside Resort for $2,000. The reserve champion turkey exhibited by Griffen Stocker was purchased by Lucky Tree Service for $3,000.

—Duck: The grand champion duck was exhibited by Ronan Chismar and purchased by Gateway Royalty LLC for $1,750. The reserve champion duck exhibited by Norah Chismar was purchased by Broad Run Poultry LLC - Matt Miller for $1,750.

Fair board member Reb Billman called the sales amazing.

“The industries in this county just continue to support these kids more and more every year,” Billman said. “The total was crazy high, and I don’t know when it’ll stop. I hope it never does.”

In another high-interest competition at the fair on Saturday, a tie was declared in the Super Showmanship competition, where the top winners in their species compete with the other top winners to show all species successfully and be declared the super showman.

After the regular competition and tie-breaker questions, the competition was declared even and named two winners: Barret Evans, 15, the top showman in beef, and Marshall Miller, 18, the top showman in sheep.

Other participants were Norah Chismar, poultry; Kortlynn Miller, goat; Rachel Brick, rabbit; Kaitlin Yoder, hog; Alayna Miller, horse; Haley Kinsey, dairy; and Kylee Mutti, pygmy goat.

Miller and Evans both turned to fellow exhibitors for help with showing species they weren’t familiar with before the event.

For Miller it was the horse showing that gave him the most trouble.

“The judge wanted me to do a pattern with the horse. I was not prepared for that,” Miller said.

A pattern is a series of steps and moves to walk the horse to different points. The judge showed participants the pattern that was written on paper, and they had to memorize it.

His experience showing goats, hogs and cattle in the past helped.

For the meantime, Miller, who is a graduate of QDA, plans to continue to show animals at the state and national level. He also helps in the family business, Next Level Show Supplies.

For Miller showing animals at the fair, seeing friends he may only see once a year and eating fair food are things he looks forward to every year.

In addition to beef breeding and market beef, Evans has taken hogs as a project. He has been showing animals for seven years. He is a sophomore at Dover High School, and he’s already thinking about his future.

“I’d like to go (to college) for animal science. I don’t know where yet. I just have to see where I get accepted and make a few visits,” Evans said, adding he’d also like to be on the livestock judging team.

Evans is a member of the junior fair board, where he works with the young fair exhibitors.

“Being older and seeing all the younger kids that really have a passion for it is really sweet,” Evans said. “Those little kids that just look up to us older kids is fun to see.”

Planning has already begun for the 2024 fair, and fair board member Tyrone Brannon wants to see participation in tractor pulling increase.

“Friday night we had a Pro Stock tractor here from South Carolina and two pulling trucks from Texas,” Brannon said. “And then on Saturday night, we had four tractors from New York, two 2-wheel drives from New York and a Superstock diesel from Pennsylvania. I reached out to some that I know and asked them if they wanted to come, and some people said they want to come back because they enjoy our fair and enjoy our track.”