State Fair livestock auction generates $105,000 for youth winners
Junior livestock champion and reserve winners earned $105,000 for their prize animals at the N.C. State Fair Junior Livestock Auction, Oct. 13. For the first time, a special born-and-bred in North Carolina grand champion lamb was sold at auction.
“The Junior Livestock Sale of Champions provides these up-and-coming producers with money for their education and gives them an opportunity to showcase the hard work that went into raising these animals,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I appreciate the generous support of N.C. agriculture by businesses such as Harris Teeter, Martin Meats, Martin Pork and Neese’s Country Sausage.”
Harris Teeter bid $25,000 for the 1,295-pound grand champion junior market steer shown by Derek Jones, 17, of Barnardsville (Madison County). The 1,286-pound reserve grand champion junior market steer was shown by Dillon Ridling, 17, of Salisbury (Rowan County). Martin Meats placed the winning bid of $17,500. Frank Scott, 13, of Lucama (Wilson County), sold the special born-and-bred in North Carolina steer for $22,000 to Harwood Brothers, Martin Meats and Stanly County Livestock.
Samantha Byrum, 12, of Elizabeth City (Pasquotank County), sold her grand champion lamb to Harris Teeter for $8,500. Byrum’s grand champion lamb also won the new born-and-bred in North Carolina grand champion lamb category. Harris Teeter also purchased the reserve champion lamb for $5,000, shown by Sydney Cox, 13, of Trenton (Jones County).
Cox also sold her 280-pound grand champion barrow for $10,000 to Harris Teeter. The 262-pound reserve champion barrow was purchased jointly by Neese’s Country Sausage and Martin Pork for $8,500 and was shown by A.J. Carpenter, 7, of Franklin (Macon County).
The grand champion turkey was shown by Christopher Loehr, 14, of Raleigh, and was sold to Harris Teeter for $5,000. Evan Gunter, 11, of Asheboro (Randolph County), exhibited the reserve champion turkey. Iron Horse Auction purchased it for $3,500.
