EATON — The 2020 Preble County Junior Fair Sale of Champions was held Friday, Aug. 7 to cap off the 170th Preble County Fair.
After a limited audience at most events during this year’s edition of the Preble County Fair, the Expo Building was packed in preparation for the Sale of Champions with rows upon of rows of spectators present.
In an unusual year for the Preble County Fair, without the normal carnival rides or grandstand events, the focus shifted entirely to the kids and their projects, and the show of support was out in full force during the Sale of Champions.
Alyssa Zdobinski, who exhibited her Grand Champion Market Rabbits, was glad to see the support from the community.
“I’m happy to see such a big crowd show up,” she said.
Her rabbits sold for $1,000, and she said it felt like a big accomplishment.
“I’m just so happy that my hard work has paid off,” she said.
The sale began with Cheyenne Baker’s Champion Market Beef, purchased by Steve Rauch for $5,000, tied for the highest bid of the sale.
Rauch went on to purchase Emma Helsinger’s Reserve Champion Market Beef for $2,000 and Boston Stapleton’s Reserve Champion Market Goat for $1,500.
One of the highlights of the event was the sale of Stapleton’s Champion Market Goat, as she appeared in the Sale of Champions despite this being just her first year participating in 4-H.
“She’s put in a lot of work and we’re just really proud of the effort that she put in and really happy to see it pay off,” her father Zach Stapleton said.
After a successful first year of exhibiting, he hopes to see her back next year.
“It’s pretty stiff competition here,” he said. “I would say, at any time there’s a few that could win it out there so we were just really happy to place where we did.”
Tied for the third-highest bid in the Sale of Champions, Cole George’s Champion Market Broilers sold for $2,700, and he said he felt good about the price and being at the Sale of Champions.
“Feels good,” he said. “Feels kind of exhilarating.”
The Sale of Champions ended with a Junior Fair Board Hog donated by the Matt James Family, Rick and Jan Buehner & sons and Andy & Rita Beiser.
Purchased in part by Mary Bullen, the Preble County Farm Bureau and Friends of Preble County 4-H, the hog sold for $5,000, and proceeds from the sale will go directly to the Junior Fair Board.
Junior Fair Board President Andrew Millhouse said the donation meant a lot to the Junior Fair Board.
“We’re able to use that money to get ribbons to support what we do as far as running the junior fair and all the shows and everything, so its really important to us that we get that,” he said.
In addition to those listed above, Allison Mowen’s Champion Market Lamb sold for $2,400 and the Reserve Champion Market Lamb, exhibited by Madalynn Studebaker, sold for $1,600.
Jacob Doty’s Reserve Champion Market Broilers went for $1,900 while the Champion Market Turkey, owned by Jonathon McLane, and Reserve Champion Market Turkey, owned by Katelyn Meeks, each went for $1,100.
Emma Bergbigler’s Reserve Champion Market Rabbits went for $1,000 while Makayla Morris’ Reserve Champion Market Goat was sold for $2,100.
Sydnie Stewart sold her Champion Market Hog for $2,700. Additionally, Skyler Ward, who was also named Showman of Showmen on Thursday evening, sold her Reserve Champion Market Hog for $2,300.
