Premium Auction Raises More Than $23,000 For 4-Hers

Generous donors gave the Antelope County 4-Hers something to smile about at the Premium Auction on Saturday afternoon. More than $23,000 was donated back to the kids who have spent a lot of time, effort and money to raise their animals.

And, this year, small animal exhibitors get to cash in, too. A special lot was added to the auction which will be divided up amongst those showing smaller animals. Petersburg State Bank won the small animal auction with a bid of $600, and then auctioneer Ted Baum said, "We're going to sell it again." Aragorn Farms (Tom Dittrich) teamed up with Rhonda Meyer for a $400 bid. An additional $100 from Snider Memorial Funeral Home and $200 from Jeremy Kester brought the overall total to $1,300 for the small animal showmen.

The regular premium auction featured market steers, market heifers, second year bucket calves, market barrows, market gilts, market lambs and market goats. The top bid was the first bid of the auction - Logan Mueller's champion market steer brought $1,500, courtesy of Clearwater Feed & Grain.

With the premium bid procedure, the exhibitor retains ownership of the animal. The auctioneer accepted bids until the ceiling price was reached (the champion's bid price) or there were no more bids. Each livestock exhibitor was allowed to sell one market animal.

Market Steers
Logan Mueller - $1,500 - Clearwater Feed & Grain
Trey Baum - $850 - Dan Zwingman, Elgin Livestock and Bank of the West
Taralyn Baum - $800 - Landmark Angus
Karissa Dicke - $600 - Oral Surgery Center
Blake Kester - $900 - Sandy Acres Simmental
Blake Heithoff - $900 - Calvin Heithoff
Alyssa Moser - $1,000 - Hemenway Trucking

Market Heifers
Haley Zegers - $1,300 - Stoltz Exotics, Dean's Market, CVA, Precision Repair, Town & Country Vet
Chris Kester - $900 - Broberg Charolais
Marie Meis - $750 - Brunswick State Bank, Husker Ag, Sargent Irrigation, Commodity Solutions, RAMM Livestock
Travis Rudloff - $1,300 - Kayton International

Second Year Bucket Calf
Dillon Moser - $950 - Town and Country Vet, Verdigre Livestock, CVA, John and Tina Moser, Bill Ross, Thiele Dairy, Schlecht Trucking, Kenny and LuAnn Bartos
Ian Larson - $750 - Koenig Farms
Ashton Higgins - $750 - CVA, Town and Country Vet

Market Barrows 
Carter Beckman - $850 - Aragorn Farms
Trevin Hanson - $700 - Oral Surgery Center
Collin Mullins - $500 - Mullins Farms
Jasmine Zuhlke - $550 - Rhonda's Bar and BBQ

Market Gilts
Nicole Beckman - $1,050 - Town and Country Vet, CVA, Cargill, Lordmann Insurance, Elgin Review
Joe Ahlers - $700 - Greenline Equipment

Market Lamb
Carson Anderson - $600 - Ag Agronomy, Ahlers & Sons, Elkhorn Valley Equipment, Jerry's Feed
MeriLee Vaughn - $450 - Aragorn Farms
Riley Snider - $400 - Oral Surgery Center
Bria Gale - $450 - Smith Farms
Collin Gale - $400 - Clearwater Feed & Grain
Aubreionna Clouse - $400 - CVA, Town & Country Vet
Allison Stineman - $400 - Snider Memorial Funeral Home
Austin Good - $400 - Snodgrass Farms

Market Goat 
Codey Snider - $400 - Oral Surgery Center
Liam Odell - $400 - Oral Surgery Center