Liberty County businesses and supporters of local youth pulled out their checkbooks on Friday, Oct. 21, for the Trinity Valley Exposition’s premium sale and freezer sale auctions.
The top 25 exhibitors, whose projects were picked for either Grand Champion and Reserve Champion in 17 categories, fetched a whopping $136,897 in bids. As of Friday afternoon, bidding of the premium sale had ended and the auction of freezer sale items had begun. A final tally for the auctions will be shared by Bluebonnet News as soon as that information is available.
The highest bid went to Isandro Garcia of Dayton FFA for his Grand Champion Market Steer. He will go home with $21,000 from Liberty Materials. the second-highest bid went to Cameron Ripkowski of Dayton 4-H for her Reserve Champion Market Steer. It sold for $13,500 to Wingfield Concrete.
Ripkowski had a total of four winning projects in the top 25. All totaled she claimed $27,300 for Reserve Champion Market Steer ($13,500), Grand Champion American Commercial Heifer ($10,500), Grand Champion Decorated Cake ($2,000) and Grand Champion Foliage Plant ($1,300).
Tommy Watts of the Watts Group was recognized as the Top Buyer for 2021.
