2008 Marias Fair 4-H livestock auction shatters expectations
By Kari Gillespie
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:03 PM MDT
The 2008 Marias Fair boasted another outstanding sale Saturday, July 19, a tribute to the truly great local businesses and community members that so strongly support 4-H, agriculture, and the area youth. This year, 145 animals sold for a gross total of $251,536.70 compared to 2007's gross of $271,750.60 on 165 animals, leading to a higher average per animal this year. Errol Fritz and Jim Fritz, both of Chester, along with Steve Proefrock of Cut Bank, donated their auctioning services to the sale.
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| Brad Holden sold the fourth highest selling steer of the Marias Fair, selling for $3.80 a pound on his 1,190-pound steer which was named Top Hereford the day before. Holden also picked up the 2nd place senior showmanship award and was nominated for a Top Beef Interview award. Photo by Kari Gillespie
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Most outstanding was Brittani Duncan's 260-pound red ribbon hog selling to Dwayne Irvin of Shelby for an astronomical $11 per pound with Dave Losing of Cut Bank Tire the runner-up bidder. Duncan has spent the last four years and countless hours spearheading renovation efforts on the rabbit and poultry barn at the Marias Fair and this sale will put her on her way to college at Montana State University this fall.
The lambs were topped by Browning's Greta Gustafson's 95-pound red ribbon lamb selling to Rib Gustafson for $4.75 per pound.
Shelby's Hayley Fretheim led the beef division with a 1,460 pound blue ribbon steer selling to Dick Irvin Inc. for $5.25 a pound.
The Grand Champion steer, a 1,340-pound Red Angus, exhibited by Justin Fritz of Brady, sold to Mountain View Coop of Conrad for $4.00 a pound. Justin's cousin, Jake Fritz of Chester, sold the 1,395-pound Charolais/Red Angus cross Reserve Champion steer to Torgersons of Ethridge for $3.25 per pound.
Clark Diemert, a Lothair 4-Her, exhibited the 261-pound Grand Champion hog which sold to Guardian Home and Property of Kalispell for $6.50 per pound. Galata's Rebecca Ratzburg's 256 pound hog followed in the Reserve Champion slot, selling for $6.50 per pound to Frontline Ag of Conrad.
Tia Robinson of Conrad showed the Grand Champion lamb, however it was already committed to show at the Montana State Fair and thus did not sell. Jennifer Matt of Browning sold the 140-pound Reserve Champion lamb to Cattleman's Meat of Kevin.
Overall, all averages were up from 2007 with 80 hogs averaging $3.85 per pound, 51 steers at $2.66 per pound, and the 14 lambs came in at $3.54 a pound. Last year's averages consisted of $3.18 on the hogs, $2.47 for the steers, and $3.09 on the lambs.
The following businesses generously donated their purchases back to the 4-H program to be resold. Market lamb donations included Simon's Petroleum of Shelby to the Building Committee, Al's Diesel of Cut Bank to the Building Committee, Judisch Spraying of Conrad to the Pondera County Shooting Sports (two lambs), and U.S. Bank donated a steer to the Livestock Committee.
The local 4-Hers and their parents would like to the thank the following buyers, Judisch Spraying, Ray and Shawn Christiaens, First State Bank, Al's Diesel, Apex Angus, B&L Pumping of Browning, BTI Feeds, Bank of Glacier County, Bar Gustafson Ranch, Bell Motor Company, Ben Taylor Inc., O'Neal Electric, Billedeaux Construction, Trail's End Concrete, Billman's, Blue Sky Villa, Bob and Dana Pace, Bobcat Angus, Broken Pick Ranch, Cattleman's Meat, Christiaens Meats and Grocery, CHS, Circle 4 Farms, Coolidge Disc, Connelly Angus, Conrad Building Center, Conrad Vet, Frontline Ag, Custom Crop Care, Cut Bank Pioneer Press, Cut Bank Tire, Dafoe & Schultz, Dick Irvin Inc., Dryfork Ag, Dwayne Irvin, Flesch Angus, Fritz Charolais/Auction, Fritz Red Angus, Frontier Aviation, Roosevelt Service Station, Chris Kolstad, Funtronics, Gary and Leo's IGA, Glacier Electric Cooperative, the Glacier Reporter, Edward Jones, Guardian Home and Property, Hank Coolidge, Harold and Nancy Simmes, Hawks Angus, Helena Sand and Gravel, H-O Motor Supply, Holden Herefords, I&T Transfer, Jim Running Fisher, Karl and Roberta Ratzburg, Judisch Spray Service, KLJ Engineering, Harry Knaup, M&M Recycling, Marias River Ranch, Matt & Ashton Traner, Moodie Implement, Mortenson Construction, Mountain View Coop, Native American Bank, Nevins Tire Center, Northern Chrysler, Northern Ford, Northern Montana Insurance, Northwest Farm Credit Service, One Stop Cenex, Pierre's, Ratzburg Brothers, Rib Gustafson, Rick and Peggy Rice, Salois Construction, Seubert Insurance, Shelby Promoter, Simon's Petroleum, Sisk Ranch, Smith Angus, Solo Air, South Fork Anesthesia, Stockman Bank of Cut Bank, Superior Feeds, Tom Tuma, Torgersons, Trails End Concrete, U.S. Bank, The Valierian, Van Motors, W3 Farm, Wells Fargo, Wicks & Matkin.
Please support these businesses as they so generously support our youth.
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