Iowa County a Triple Threat at Wisconsin State Fair Governor’s Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction Agri-View: Livestock News

Iowa County topped the livestock competition when three of its own exhibited the Grand Champion in all three species at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Title: WSF Governor's Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction Champions
Date: Aug. 15th, 2007

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The Grand Champion steer, hog and lamb were then sold in the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction last Wednesday in West Allis.

In total, 28 junior market steers, barrows and lambs were auctioned off raising a grand total of $156,250 at the sale.

Grand and reserve champion steer

Leading the grand champion steer was 13-year-old Brock May of Mineral Point. The steer, named Billy, was a 1,315-pound crossbred. May, the son of Bob and Jodie May, reached top honors of the steer show in just his second year of exhibiting at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Chris Skaggs of College Station, Texas selected May’s steer with the traditional slap during the championship drive sending a roar through the crowd n especially from May’s family and friends.

“It’s pretty amazing,” said May who will be an 8th grader this year. “I didn’t know what to expect.”

May’s steer was bought by Northland Explosives for $35,000.

May spent six to seven hours a day working with Billy along with other cattle he will be exhibiting at the Iowa County Fair and three national shows yet this year.

When not working with his steers, May said he enjoys hunting, fishing and wrestling

May, who had to say “goodbye” to Billy on Sunday, the last day of the fair, was “sad” to see him go.

As for the future for this avid showman he hopes he can repeat his championship in the future at the State Fair at least a “couple more times.”

Exhibiting the reserve grand champion steer was Kelsi Retallick, Glen Haven. Retallick, 18, is no stranger to the auction as she and her two sisters, Keela and Kelli have exhibited champions in the past. Kelsi also exhibited the 1,290-pound champion Angus steer, and her sister Kelli, 16, exhibited the champion Hereford steer weighing in at 1,340. The Angus was bought by syndicate group consisting of Halbman Landscaping, Brad Heaton, Michael Murphy for $6,000 and the Hereford was purchased by Imperial Parking for $5,000.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Retallick said while waiting to get a picture of her 1,285 pound crossbred steer, Vault.

Heading to UW-Madison as an animal science major this fall, Retallick sold her steer to Time Warner Cable for $12,500.

“It’ll go toward college and steers for next year,” she said and she will split her earnings with her sisters. Kelsi and Kelli are the daughters of Kevin and Keri who own a registered Angus herd.

Champion Barrows

The second Iowa County man to receive top honors in the championship drive was Jordan Tibbits, 17, who drove a 277-pound crossbred barrow. Mark Hoge of Good Hope, Ill., fudged the market hog show.

Tibbits, a Mineral Point native is heading into his junior year at Mineral Point high school.

“I thought he was pretty good,” Tibbits said about the barrow that was bought from an Illinois breeder.

In his third year of showing, Tibbits sold his hog to syndicate group Bunzel’s Meat Market, Leff’s Lucky Town, Rowbottom Partners, Spectrum Development Corp., Saz’s State House, and Zimmerman Design Group for $11,000.

Tibbits had help with his hog project from his cousin Justin Tibbits and learned about hogs by “watching his cousin.”

The former cattle showman is strictly in the pig business now.

“It was a good experience,” he said. “It’s a relief to know the work this summer paid off.”

And the paid off it did as he also showed the champion Yorkshire barrow that sold for $4,500 to Giant Slide Inc., Sky Fair Inc., Sunshine Concessions of Hernando, and G & G Concessions.

Jordan, the son of Rick and Mel, plans to use his earnings for his hog project next year and for college where he plans to major in agriculture.

The reserve champion hog was exhibited by Jacob Yelinek, Livingston. Also from Iowa County, 13-year-old Yelinek exhibited the 278-pound reserve champion crossbred.

He attends Iowa-Grant schools and is the son of Peter and Becky. Jacob enjoys farming, showing pigs and sports.

The hog was bought by a winning bid of $5,500 by the syndicate group of Bunzel’s Meat Market, Leff’s Lucky Town, Rowbottom Partners, Spectrum Development Corp., Saz’s State House, and Zimmerman Design Group.

Grand and reserve champion lambs

Finishing out the triple threat was Jacob Johnson, Mineral Point, who exhibited the grand champion lamb, moved up one spot from last year’s performance as reserve grand Champion. The lamb was sold to Miller Brewing for $8,000.

Johnson was feeling “great and surprised” when his 125-pound Suffolk was selected as grand champion by judge Terry Burks from Bowling Green, Ky.

“We hoped to do good,” the 16-year-old said looking at his dad. Johnson never intended to show the 125-pound Suffolk at the State Fair, but was saving him for the American Royal in Kansas City later this fall. The high school sophomore who has been showing for five years began by showing his uncle’s sheep and from there it’s grown. Being part of the auction also helps keep his projects growing.

“It’s going to next year’s project and college,” he said.

A 137-pound crossbred exhibited by Allen Greving, Elkhorn took home reserve grand champion honors. The lamb was purchased by Master Spas of Wisconsin for $6,000. Greving attends UW-Whitewater and will use the earnings for school.

Breed Champions

Steers

The champion Chianina steer was exhibited by Josh Nagel of Baraboo and was purchased by Beaudry Construction for $6,000.

The syndicate including MLG Commercial Real Estate, Leff’s Lucky Town, Hector’s, Rowbottom Partners, Saz’s State House, Spectrum Development Corp., Bunzel’s Meat Market, and Zimmerman Design Group had the winning bid of $6,000 on the champion Maine-Anjou steer exhibited by Justin Wedig of Darlington.

The champion Shorthorn steer was exhibited by Reba Keene of Potosi. The steer sold for $5,500 to Wisconsin Souvenir Milk Caps.

Kelli Retallick, Glen Haven, led the champion Angus Steer that was purchased by a winning bid of $6,000 by Halbman Landscaping, Brad Heaton and Michael Murphy.

Imperial Parking got the nod for purchasing the champion Hereford steer exhibited by Kelsi Retallick, Glen Haven for $5,000.

The champion any other breed (AOB) steer was exhibited by Jolene Kohlway of Adell and sold at the winning bid of $3,000 to Badger State Ethanol.

Morgan Swiecichowski, Pulaski showed the champion dairy steer that was purchased by Saz’s State House, Rowbottom Partners, Zimmerman Design Group, Bunzel’s Meat Market, Hector’s, MLG Commercial Real Estate, Spectrum Development Corp., and Greg Simmert.

Barrows

Jacob Schnell, Shawano, exhibited Duroc barrow that was purchased by Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Wisconsin for $6,000.

Giant Slide Inc., Sky Fair Inc., Sunshine Concessions of Hernando, G & G Concessions formed a syndicate that purchased the champion Yorkshire that was exhibited by Jordan Tibbits, Mineral Point for $4,500. It was donated to the Wisconsin State Fair Park Youth Foundation.

Beau Trap, Watertown, drove the champion Poland China barrow that was purchased by a winning bid of $4,000 by Double K Ranch.

The champion Chester White barrow was exhibited by Shalanna Nichols, from Clinton. The barrow was purchased for $3,500 by Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Wisconsin.

Andy Bussian, Columbus, exhibited the champion Landrace barrow that was sold by a winning bid of $3,250 by Anheuser-Busch.

Brooklyn native Taylor Schuetz exhibited the champion Hampshire barrow purchased by Beechwood Sales & Service for $1,500.

The champion Spotted barrow was exhibited by Jordan Olson of Edgerton was purchased by Wisconsin State Fair Park Board of Directors and Wisconsin State Senator Jeff Plale for $1,500. It was donated to Wisconsin State Fair Park Youth Foundation.

Cameron Carey, Belmont drove the champion Berkshire barrow. The hog was purchased for $1,250 by Bunzel’s Meat Market and Zupan Construction.

Imperial Parking and Firewagon Racing purchased Ethan Schmaling’s, New Glarus, champion Hereford for $1,250.

Round out the hogs was the champion Tamworth drove by Jamie Paulson, Deerfield. Paulson’s hog was purchased by P & P Grain Trucking for $2,200.

Lambs

The champion Hampshire was exhibited by Tierney Reilly of Shullsburg. Kitchen Crafts purchased the lamb for $4,500 and donated it to the Wisconsin State Fair Park Youth Foundation.

Mary Henke, Beechwood Sales & Service and John Lavin purchased the champion Southdown exhibited by Ryan Bingen Allenton for $3,500. Bingen also exhibited the champion AOB lamb that was purchased by Open Roads, Reproduction Resources, DeLong Co., and Cargill Food Service for $2,000.

Sidney Sprecher exhibited the champion Dorset purchased by Poady’s Smokehouse and Deer Valley Group Home for $3,000.

The champion Natural Colored lamb was exhibited by Katelyn George of Evansville. The lamb was purchased by a bid of $2,300 by Wisconsin State Fair Park Board of Directors and Wisconsin State Senator Jeff Plale. It was donated to Salvation Army.