The standing-room-only crowd at the 2018 Auction of the Junior Livestock Champions roared as the Grand Champion Steer sold for a record high $140,000, an increase of $5,000 over last year. The top eight champion animals tallied generous sales of $434,000. The Reserve Grand Champion Hog sold for a record-breaking $40,000, exceeding last year’s bid of $38,000. The Reserve Grand Champion Goat sold for an astonishing $31,000, more than doubling last year’s sale of $15,000.
The money invested supports the junior exhibitors who raised the animal as they plan for their agricultural future and college educations. In addition, a portion of the proceeds support the National Western Scholarship Trust. The scholarship trust funds scholarships in agriculture studies and rural medicine at colleges throughout Colorado and Wyoming. This year, 100 students received funds to aid their education. For more information regarding the scholarship trust, please visit www.nationalwestern.com/educational-support/.
Four of the top eight champion animal set new records and the results are listed below:
• The Grand Champion Steer weighing 1,339 pounds sold for a record-high $140,000 to Ames Construction Company of Aurora, CO. The steer was shown by 13-year-old Lillie Skiles, two-time consecutive National Western Stock Show (NWSS) Grand Champion Steer winner. Skiles attends Hereford Junior High in Hereford, TX, and one day wants to attend Texas A&M University.
• Junior exhibitor Tommy Glover showed the 1,339-pound Reserve Grand Champion Steer. The buyer, Kent Stevinson of the Denver-area Stevinson Automotive, purchased the champion for $84,000. This was Glover’s first appearance in the National Western Junior Livestock Auction. He is 13 years old. An interesting fact: His father exhibited the Grand Champion Steer at the auction in 1996.
• Junior exhibitor Payton Rodgers sold the Grand Champion Hog weighing 261 pounds for $40,000 to Transwest Trucks, Inc., Brighton, CO. This is Rodgers’ third selection to the National Western Junior Livestock Auction.
• The 264-pound Reserve Champion Hog “Batman” was sold to Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Denver, CO, for a record-high $40,000. The hog was shown by Weston Lackey, a first-time junior livestock auction qualifier. The 9-year-old is from Haskel, TX, and attends Haskel Elementary School. He would like to use this money for college at Texas A&M and to buy another pig and win Grand Champion Hog.
• The Grand Champion Lamb, shown by 16-year-old Mackenzie Goggin, sold for $40,000 to Brannan Sand & Gravel, Denver, CO. Goggin attends Moore High School, in Moore, OK. She plans to attend Oklahoma State University in hopes of becoming a pediatric physical therapist.
• Colorado Business Bank, Denver, CO, purchased the Reserve Grand Champion Lamb for a record $35,000. The lamb was shown by 13-year-old junior exhibitor Bailey Amstutz from Richwood, OH. She plans on studying genetics and embryology at Oklahoma State University.
• Dakota Martin, a 12-year old from Mason, TX, sold her Grand Champion Goat for $24,000 to Hutchison Western, Commerce City, CO.
• The Reserve Grand Champion Goat named Slim sold for over double the price of last year at $31,000 to Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. The goat was shown by 11-year-old Karsyn Fetzer who attends Platte Valley Elementary School in Kersey, CO. — NWSS
