Carla Clark | For The Republic Adyn Dempsey, at right, with his grand champion beef steer during the 2023 Bartholomew County 4-H livestock sale in the livestock pavilion at the Bartholomew County fairgrounds in Columbus, Ind., Saturday, July 1, 2023.
Bartholomew County threw its generosity into overdrive Saturday.
A total of $303,350 was raised during the annual Bartholomew County 4-H Livestock Show. That’s nearly a 34% jump from the $225,425 raised last year with the same number of 4-Hers, show organizer Becky Speaker said.
For the third consecutive year, the event was a “premium-only” auction. That means the 196 animals that were shown went home with their young handlers unless the buyer made other arrangements prior to the event, auctioneer Mike Mensendiek said.
Traditionally, many of the animals are taken to market to be sold. Any amount over the market price paid during the 4-H auction is called the premium, Mensendiek explained.
So what makes bidders pay large sums of money without anything in return? The two most frequent responses given by bidders over several years are “giving back to the community” and “faith in the 4-H program.”
But a reason outlined by Daily Feed and Grain owner Greg Daily last year is being brought up more frequently by 4-H supporters today.
“For all agriculture-related businesses, the family farms are their lifeline,” Daily said. “These businesses know the importance of getting the next generation involved in farming. It’s real important that everybody make a big push to try to keep the family farms alive.”
More than a few folks became teary-eyed when a community leader who served 20 years on the fair board was posthumously honored.
Effective immediately, the Community Building at the fairgrounds south of Garden City will be called the Larry S. Fisher Community Building, current board president Rick Trimpe announced at the annual 4-H Livestock Sale Saturday.
Serving as board president from 2007 to 2016, Fisher has been credited in many circles with keeping the organization financial healthy while initiating significant improvements. Fisher, who received the 2016 Rural Service Award, was 73 when he died Jan. 4 in Sebring, Florida.
Trimpe reminded those in attendance that Fisher served his community in other ways. He was a county councilman, county coroner, law enforcement officer and business owner.
While efforts were made to ensure that Fisher’s widow and other family members were present, Joyce Fisher said she had no idea her late husband would be honored until she heard Trimpe’s announcement in the 4-H Pavilion.
Another tribute was made by the Whittington family when they paid $5,500 for a five-gallon tub of homemade ice cream in honor of Larry Fisher. That’s nearly 70% higher than the $3,250 the same family paid for the same product a year ago.
Proceeds from ice cream sales are placed in the Vicki Schwartzkopf Scholarship fund, which benefits 4-H club members. The Bartholomew County Young Farmers will match up to $3,000 contributed to the scholarship.
Family member Kristen Whittington was one of the first recipients of the scholarship established after a car accident killed the 18-year-old Schwartzkopf on June 15, 1984.
The $6,000 that Grace Greene received Saturday for raising and exhibiting the grand champion barrow allows her to end her 10-years of 4-H on a high note.
“I’m ready to step down because I like to do the ‘behind-the-scenes’ work more than I like to show,” said Greene, a recent Hauser High School graduate. “So it’s not really as sad for me as it is for a lot of other kids.”
When asked about how many 4-H awards she’s received, Greene said she tried to hang all of her banners on a trailer for her senior picture. However, there wasn’t enough room to put up all of them, she said.
Greene, who says she is already mentoring younger children in agriculture, will start classes at Purdue University this fall. She plans to major in biochemistry with a pre-med concentration in the school of agriculture.
With the exception of a few rain-outs, Trimpe said the fair went well this year. Although attendance figures will not be released for at least another three weeks, the fair board president believes a record-setter attendance number for a Monday may have been reached this year due to the popularity of the Three Bar J Rodeo.
Top auction sale prices:
All sale prices are premium only, meaning the 4-H exhibitor keeps both the animal and the money from the winning bid unless other arrangements are made with the buyer.
Grand Champion Beef Steer: raised by Adyn Dempsey; weight 1,424 pounds; $6,000 sale price. Buyer: Tallman Equipment Company Inc.
Grand Champion Barrow: raised by Grace Greene; weighed 281 pounds; $5,500 sale price. Buyer: Tallman Equipment Company Inc.
Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen: raised by Calvin Burton; $800 sale price. Buyer: Caleb and Stephanie Wolff
Grand Champion Poultry Meat Pen: raised by Hayden Wiley; $1,000 sale price. Buyer: Fitzsimmons Plumbing, LLC
Grand Champion Market Lamb: raised by Lillian Steinwedel; weight 129 pounds;$4,250 sale price. Buyer: Columbus Industrial Electric
Bartholomew County Young Farmers Ice Cream: $5,500 sale price. Buyer: Landmark Farms and the Whittington family in memory of Larry Fisher and friends. Bartholomew County Rural Youth matches up to $3,000 with all proceeds placed in the Vicki Schwartzkopf Scholarship Fund.
Livestock sales totals
2023: $303,350 (premium only)
2022: $225,425 (premium only)
2021: $193,205 (premium only)
2020: $108,000 (online auction)
2019: $255,686
2018: $257,420
2017: $271,671
2016: $264,097
2015: $310,304
At a glance
Total 4-H members at auction: 197
Total number of registered buyers: 103 (14 new buyers)
Total premium: $303,350
Top Buyers: KAL Enterprises/Tallman Equipment; Shorty Whittington Family; Kova Silgas; Friends of 4-H; TRICO Farm Supply; Tom Reuter of Tom Reuter Crop Insurance; ABC Cutting Contractors, Inc; Bartholomew County REMC.
