Young exhibitors from across the area were rewarded for months of hard work Friday night, May 8, during the Cleveland Livestock Show youth auction at Stancil Exposition Center in Cleveland.
While organizers are still tabulating the final amount raised during the auction, the 29 grand and reserve champion entries alone brought in a combined $136,000.
Avery Smart of Hardin FFA was among the evening’s biggest winners, earning both Grand Champion Market Steer and Grand Champion American Heifer honors. The market steer sold for $16,500 to Smart Oilfield Trucking, Wowco Kubota and NXGEN Group, while the American heifer sold for $7,500 to Dayton Farm and Ranch.
Logan Ferguson of Liberty FFA also earned multiple titles, winning Grand Champion Senior Food, Grand Champion Senior Photography and Reserve Champion Market Swine. The senior food entry sold for $1,200 to Maci Feed, the senior photography entry sold for $1,000 to Michelle Merendino, and the reserve champion market swine sold for $6,000 to Reed Show Pigs and Alex Mealer.
Addison Ledesma of Tarkington FFA captured both Grand Champion Senior Art and Reserve Champion Market Goat honors. The senior art piece sold for $1,500 to B.T. Turner Holdings, while the reserve champion market goat sold for $2,000 to Kevin and Lisa Fleetwood.
Corbin Minx of Dolen 4-H earned Grand Champion Market Rabbit and Grand Champion Market Broiler honors. The market rabbit sold for $2,400 to Allen Construction, and the market broiler sold for $2,400 to Wade Brown for Pct. 2 commissioner.
Kinley Flores of Hardin FFA earned one of the highest-selling entries of the night with the Grand Champion Exotic Heifer, which brought $25,000 from Texas Petroleum.
Other grand champion winners included Tyler Walton of Liberty FFA with the Grand Champion Market Swine, which sold for $5,200 to Kevin and Lisa Fleetwood; Paige Creel of Hardin FFA with the Grand Champion Market Goat, which sold for $3,500 to C4 Product Services; and Mason Schwandt of Tarkington FFA with the Grand Champion Market Lamb, which sold for $3,500. The buyer for that entry was unknown at press time.
- Payton Hanson of Liberty FFA exhibited the Grand Champion Pen of 2 Heifers, which sold for $5,100 to Chachere Veterinary Clinic.
- Zane McCullough of Forever 4-H earned Grand Champion Junior Food honors with an entry that sold for $1,000 to Wowco Kubota and NXGEN Group.
- Jessie Riojas of Liberty FFA won Grand Champion Junior Photography with an entry that sold for $1,200 to NXGEN Group.
- Audrey Gray of Tarkington 4-H captured Grand Champion Junior Art honors with a project that sold for $1,200 to Jimmy Campbell.
- Daliana Alverez of Cleveland FFA earned Grand Champion Senior Craft honors with an entry that sold for $2,100 to James “J.D.” Chandler.
- Harper Tooley of Plum Grove 4-H won Grand Champion Junior Craft with a project that sold for $2,500 to B.T. Turner Holdings.
- Brennan Nunan of Hardin FFA earned Grand Champion Senior Ag Mechanics Metal honors with a project that sold for $4,500 to Fregia Construction.
- Hayden Fisher of Hardin FFA captured Grand Champion Senior Ag Mechanics Wood with an entry that sold for $2,500 to NXGEN Group.
- Addison Morgan of Plum Grove 4-H earned both Grand Champion Junior Ag Mechanics Wood and Reserve Champion Pen of 2 Heifers honors. The ag mechanics project sold for $3,000 to Donna Morgan, while the pen of heifers sold for $4,500 to ANZ Ranch.
Among the reserve champions, Jaxon Minx of Dolen 4-H earned Reserve Champion Market Steer honors with an entry that sold for $6,600 to Stanfield Propane and Last Chance Feed.
- Wes Stoesser of Liberty FFA exhibited the Reserve Champion American Heifer, which sold for $10,000 to Tyler Fitzgerald and F & F Farms.
- Larkyn Flores of Hardin 4-H earned Reserve Champion Exotic Heifer honors with a $5,000 sale to Dubois Cattle.
- Landon Taylor of Tarkington FFA earned Reserve Champion Market Lamb honors with an entry that sold for $6,000 to MLH Construction.
- Braelyn Baucom of Liberty FFA earned Reserve Champion Market Rabbit honors with an entry that sold for $1,500 to NXGEN Group.
- Mallory Fitzgerald of Hardin 4-H captured Reserve Champion Market Broiler honors with an entry that sold for $1,600 to Red Bear Ranch.
By organization, Liberty FFA led the way with eight grand or reserve champion titles, followed by Hardin FFA with six. Tarkington FFA earned four champion or reserve champion honors, while Dolen 4-H and Plum Grove 4-H each earned three. Hardin 4-H earned two titles, while Forever 4-H, Tarkington 4-H and Cleveland FFA each earned one.