Auction collects $158K

Friday's 4-H Livestock Auction even had royalty get in on the action, as First Runner-Up Miss Putnam County Miriah Cherry spent some time as one of the ringmen. (Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan)

Putnam County 4-H exhibitors saw their efforts rewarded Friday night, with local businesses and supporters paying $158,410 in premiums for the animals at the annual 4-H Livestock Auction.

With just over half the animals in the sale, the swine barn brought in $80,265 for an average price of $647,30 per barrow.

Sheep raised the second most, bringing in $22,110, an average of $884.40 for 25 animals.

The long night wound up being worth the wait for final seller Nathaniel York (right), whose goat was purchased for $1,400 by a group of 15 buyers. (Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan)

With the most vailuable animals in the sale, the beef barn brought in $943.75 per steer, raising $18,875 for 20 animals.

The dairy barn sold $13,400 worth of animals, with 23 steers bringing in an average of $582.61.

The rabbit barn's 22 market pens brought in $13,365, an average of $607.50 per pen and an astounding 19,000 percent of market value.

Goats raised $10,395, averaging $315 for 33 animals.

The premiums are in addition to the market prices paid to the 4-H'ers for each animal. Market support ranged from $2.63 for the smallest pen of rabbits to $1,956.24 for the largest beef steer.

With 247 animals sold, it was again a long night for the final seller of the night, who this year was goat exhibitor Nathaniel York.

In what is becoming a tradition after a similar movement last year, York got some extra support for his long wait, as a group of 15 buyers came together to purchase the goat for $1,400.

Those who pitched in for the Greencastle teen included Eric and Shirley Hayman, Co-Alliance, Buzzi Unicem, POET Cloverdale, Chicago's Pizza, First National Bank, Dr. Anthony and Karen Heavin, Riley Memorial Fund, Vaughn Auctions, Gary and Deanna Neese, Rick and Rhonda Woodall, Farm Credit Mid-America, Neese Trucking, David Berry and family and Aaron Patten Pioneer Seed.