Youth News
Tulsa State Fair 2011 Grand Champion Steer Brings $40,000 at Premium Sale
Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:12:18 CDT
What does $40,000 buy you these days? Well, if you were at the Tulsa State Fair on Friday, it would have bought you the 2011 Grand Champion Steer at the Premium Livestock Auction, the culmination of the junior market livestock show that is a part of the ten day fair.
L.C. Neel, long time supporter of the Premium Sale at the Tulsa State Fair, pulled out the checkbook one more time and was the successful bidder for the Steer, shown by 17 year old Mannford FFA member Garrett Hudgins. The $40,000 is a couple of thousand dollars more than the 2010 champion, and up $5,000 from the 2009 top steer at the event. (Pictured here is Garrett Hudgens, owner of the Grand Champion Steer as Auctioneer Eddie Sims makes the case for a high price during the bidding on Friday)
Neel is having a hard time keeping up with how many of the Grand Champion Steers he has purchased over the years, as he told us a year ago that he had bought a total of 31 of them down through the years- this year, he tells the Tulsa World that it's actually 33, counting this one. Whichever number it is- he has been one of the single handed heroes for the young people who have chased after the Grand Championship of one of the top two Premium Livestock Auctions held in the state.
Contrast the $40,000 paid by Mr. Neel to the $50,000 price tag paid this past spring for the Grand Champion Market Steer at the Oklahoma Youth Expo- more money- but purchased by a large syndicate of supporters. Neel, joked after this latest purchase- saying that he likes to buy the first animal in the sale, so he doesn't have to stay for the entire auction- adding he had spent all of his money with the Grand Champion purchase.
Hudgins, who won the big prize on his last go round at the Tulsa State Fair as he is a Senior at Mannford High School- says the money will help pay for his dream of attending the College of Vet Medicine at Oklahoma State University. His 1325 pound steer is named "John Wall." The name came from the rap song "Do the John Wall" which traces back to the dance steps by basketball star John Wall who is a star point guard in the NBA on the Washington Wizards.
A couple of the other Grand Champions from the market animal show also surpassed year ago marks set for the various species- here's the list of the winners and their payday totals from Friday:
Barrow: Reece Seibold, Sterling FFA $13,000
Wether lamb: Tyler Schnaithman, Garber FFA $8,500
Wether meat goat: Halie Schovanec, Garfield 4-H $10,000
Broiler pen: Kristopher McCarley, Marlow FFA $7,000
One Reserve Champion that really sold well was the Reserve Grand Champion Steer, shown by 4-Her Baylor Bonham of Newscastle. Young Baylor saw his steer sell for $25,000 on Friday, easily beating the 2010 Reserve Steer price in Tulsa- as well as the Reserve Grand Champion Steer at the Oklahoma Youth Expo in March of 2011.
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