Fair Auction sets record with $222,071 final total

Monday, August 1, 2011
Jared Fordice's Reserve Grand Champion Steer was purchased by Co-Alliance for $2,500 during Friday's 4-H livestock auction at the Putnam County Fair.

Putnam County 4-H'ers cashed in Friday evening as their animals were auctioned off to a record total of nearly a quarter-million dollars.

This year the Putnam County Fair livestock auction netted a record total sale of $222,071.

Animals up for auction totaled 278 with 174 total buyers (93 businesses or organizations and 81 individuals) listed as part of the proceedings at the Inside Arena on the Putnam County Fairgrounds.

Lauren Greeson looks on as her younger brother Craig Greeson auctions off her steer at Friday's 4-H livestock auction at the Putnam County Fair. The steer sold for $4,710 to Co-Alliance, Eric and Shirley Hayman, Buzzi Unicem, First Financial Bank, Keith and Mona Smith, Kane and Glenda Gillette, Gavilon Grain, Jerry Nichols, Jim Greeson, Roger Rudolph of Syngenta Seeds, Dr. Anthony and Karen Heavin, JTN Services, York Automotive, Tri-County bank, Hopkins Crop Insurance, 12 Point Telecom and Jill Nichols, all proceeds of which went toward the Putnam County Fairgrounds Endowment.

The top 10 premium buyers for the evening were Co-Alliance of Danville, Fleece Insurance of Pittsboro, Hopkins Crop Insurance of Russellville, Heritage Environmental of Indianapolis, First National Bank of Cloverdale, Buzzi Unicem of Greencastle, North Salem State Bank of Greencastle, Dr. Robert Heavin of Coatesville, Rockville Livestock of Rockville and Nucor of Crawfordsville.

The big sale animal of the night was Garrett Porter's Grand Champion Barrow, which brought $3,050 and was sold to Gary Judy.

Other high sellers for the evening included Luke Ames' sheep, which was purchased by Fleece Insurance, First National Bank and Co-Alliance for $1,000, and Briana Bryant's goat, which was purchased for $1,050 by Fleece Insurance, First National Bank, Co-Alliance and Crop Production Services.

Swine led the way at the livestock auction with 130 animals sold over the 4-1/2-hour auction. Beef was next at 43, followed by 33 goats, 27 sheep, 21 dairy, 13 poultry and 11 rabbit sale entries.

The Putnam County Fair queen and her court also made two purchases, one being for Theodore Smith's chickens for $125 and the other Remington Garl's chickens for $100.

When it came time for 10-year 4-H'er Lauren Greeson to auction off her Putnam County Champion Charolais Steer, her younger brother Craig Greeson decided to try his hand as auctioneer.

Bids on the Greeson steer raised to a total of $4,710, with the purchase made by Co-Alliance, Eric and Shirley Hayman, Buzzi Unicem, First Financial Bank, Keith and Mona Smith, Kane and Glenda Gillette, Gavilon Grain, Jerry Nichols, Jim Greeson, Roger Rudolph of Syngenta Seeds, Dr. Anthony and Karen Heavin, JTN Services, York Automotive, Tri-County Bank, Hopkins Crop Insurance, 12 Point Telecom and Jill Nichols. All proceeds from that sale will go to the newly established Putnam County Fairgrounds Endowment.

That is an endowment set up by the Fair Board Endowment Committee and the Putnam County Community Foundation to support maintenance and capital improvement projects at the fair.

The sale was conducted by auctioneers Jeff Rich and Steve Vaughn.

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