The steer, offered by exhibitor Heather Yung, a senior at Troy High School, was purchased by Blackland Implement, with a winning bid of $16 per pound for the 1,297-pound light heavy weight steer.
“We’ve been buying livestock here for the past 20 years,” said Jim Gamrod, who along with Kent Rhudy owns Blackland Implement. As for what they’ll do with the 2008 grand champion steer, Gamrod said, “we haven’t decided yet.”
Yung, on the other hand, said she was “just glad it’s over” following the sale.
Prior to the bid on her animal, Yung was given a $1,000 scholarship to the college of her choice by the Clem Mikeska family. Mikeska has purchased the grand champion for the past 30 years.
Yung’s entry last year died shortly before the Youth Fair and it was difficult for her to decide to re-enter this year, according to Eddie Lange, who served as emcee during the auction.
Despite the setback, Yung purchased a steer last April that proved to be this year’s winner. “It shows what perseverance can do,” Lange said.
Auctioneer John Fisher kept things rolling throughout the afternoon. Fisher, who has served as auctioneer for the past 21 years, said he actually started working at the livestock show in Bell County before that.“I drove from A&M in ‘77 or ‘78 to help out,” he said.
The money raised at the auction goes to the students, except for 3 percent that goes back to the Youth Fair for expenses, officials said.
“This year was incredible,” said Dirk Aaron, Bell County extension agent, who, along with Linda Fuchs, serves as ex officio of the Youth Fair. “We don’t know the final numbers, but we had over 6,000 entries shown by more than 3,000 kids,” he said.
In addition, there are more than 200 volunteers on the official list, but “that’s not to say there’s not an additional 100 or so who are out there,” he said.
The Youth Fair, PRCA rodeo and auction work well together, “because we are out there supporting each other,” Aaron said. Boyd Polhamus, announcer for the rodeo for the past 12 years, said it’s a team spirit.“
We can’t reward them (the kids) without the auction, the livestock show and the rodeo,” he said during remarks prior to the noon auction. “The rodeo is here for the kids. The livestock show is here for the kids. The auction is here for the kids. It takes all of us to make it work.
”In fact, Polhamus, who was named 2007 Announcer of the Year at the National Finals by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, said that “if you’re here to spend money and it’s not about the kids, you’re here for the wrong reason.
”While not all of those who participate will go on to be ranchers, or even be involved in agribusiness, all the students who participate in the Youth Fair and Livestock Show attain skill sets through the experience, he said.
“The lessons that they’ve learned to get themselves up to this stage are lessons they’ll take with them the rest of their lives,” he said.
