It was one for the record books when looking back over this past week’s large and small market animal auctions at the 2025 Oceana County Fair.
The Large Market auction grossed $389,798.70. The Junior Market and Small Market auction grossed $41,675.78.
“We had a record year for this auction,” said Kathryn Walicki, MSU Extension District Support/Office Manager. “Kids did very well, and buyers truly supported the program.”
The Oceana Echo would like to recognize and thank each 4-H member (and their leaders) who took the time and responsibility to raise animals for this year’s fair. We would also like to express appreciation to every bidder, buyer, parent, and behind the scenes individual who participated in each of the respective animal projects and auctions as well. It takes a community to pull off something of this magnitude every August.
Top honors went to the Grand and Reserve Grand Champions in Market as well as in Showmanship and allowed them to go through the show ring ahead of everyone else in their division. But no matter where each 4-Her placed, the community concurs, a good time was had by all.
In the Goats, the Grand Champion Goat raised by Jonathan VanderNaalt sold for $15/lb. The Reserve Grand Champion Goat raised by Lillian Wasson sold for $15/lb. Gross auction sales for the only two goats on the auction totalled $2,955.
In the Lambs division, the Grand Champion Lamb was raised by Gentry Monroe and sold for $26/lb. The Reserve Grand Champion Lamb was raised by Garrett Birkhofer and sold for $7.50/lb. Gross auction proceeds for lambs totalled $16,727.50. With the highest price paid per pound at $26 and the lowest price per pound at $5, the average price per pound paid was $9.87/lb.
In Cattle, selling her steer for $4.05/lb. was the Grand Champion Beef raised by Mary Bisard. The Reserve Grand Champion Beef raised by Jayna Burmeister sold for $4.60/lb. Gross auction proceeds for steers totalled $250,979.70. The highest per pound paid was $6.05/lb and the lowest was $3.60/lb, for an average of $4.53/lb.
For Swine, the Grand Champion Swine was raised by Bristol Dickman and sold for $12/lb. The Reserve Grand Champion Swine was raised by Trenton Schmieding and sold for $8.50/lb.
Overall swine sales totalled $119,136.50. The highest bidder paid $23.50/lb, while $6.00/lb was the lowest price per pound paid, making the average in this division $9.99/lb.
Together both the Junior Market and Small Market auctions grossed $51,675.78.
In the Junior Market division, the Junior Market Grand Champion Chicken was raised by Merrie Rycenga. The Junior Market Grand Champion Goat was raised by Octavia Falan, and the Junior Market Reserve Grand Champion Goat was raised by Olive Currier. The average price paid per pound was $14.56.
The Grand Champion Junior Market Feeder Calf was raised by Colton Alvesteffer and the Reserve Grand Champion Junior Market Feeder Calf was raised by Thomas Merten. The average price per pound for all junior market feeder calves was $7.25.
The Grand Champion Junior Goose was raised by Tucker Sawdy and sold for $17/lb while the Grand Champion Junior Market Duck, raised by Merrie Rycenga, was sold for $42/lb.
The Grand Champion Junior Market Rabbit was raised by Emily VanderNaalt and the Reserve Grand Champion Junior Market Rabbit was raised by Ella VanderNaalt. The average price per pound for junior market rabbits was $17.50.
The Grand Champion Small Market Chickens were raised by Juliet Koegel and Reserve Grand Champion Small Market Chickens were raised by Alivia Jacobson. The average price per pound for small market chickens was $13.75.
The Grand Champion Small Market Feeder Calf was raised by Tori Alvesteffer. The Reserve Grand Champion Small Market Feeder Calf was raised by Aspen Alvesteffer. The average price per pound for all small market feeder calves was $6.63.
This year’s Grand Champion Small Market Turkey was raised by Audrey Parks and sold for $26/lb.
The Grand Champion Small Market Rabbit was raised by Jayden Miller, and the Reserve Grand Champion Small Market Rabbit was raised by Asher Sorenson. The average price paid per pound in the small market rabbit division was $21.33.
Be sure to check out advertising in the upcoming weeks of The Oceana Echo, which will feature the area’s many 4-Hers and to find out who bought what. Again, congratulations and thank you all!
Auctioneering services for this year’s animal project auctions were provided by Miedema Auction Services.
