Youth News
Oklahoma Youth Capture the Three Major Grand Champions at National Western Junior Livestock Show
Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:09:03 CST
The Premium Auction of the 2009 National Western Junior Stock Show featured four young men and ladies from the state of Oklahoma among the six Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion animals sold on a live TV broadcast on Denver TV Friday night- and these four young Oklahomans saw their animals bring more than a hundred thousand dollars as the some of the first animals sold at the 2009 event. All three of the Grand Champion market animals were shown and owned by Oklahoma youth.
Prices were well under 2008 levels, with grand Champion steer bringing half of what the steer sold just a year ago. The Grand Champion Market Hog also felt the downturn in the economy, bringing about one third of what the top Barrow brought in 2008. And the Grand Champion Market Lamb was also under the prices paid a year ago- but by a more modest five thousand dollars.
That Grand Champion Market Lamb was shown by Kyra Stierwalt of Leedey, Oklahoma- her wether lamb named "Maverick" got a final bid of $25,000. Kyra is fifteen years old. The Reserve Grand Champion Lamb was also shown by an Oklahoman, Charlcey Vinyard of Altus. Charlcey is a Senior at Altus High School and her lamb, named Denivor, brought $14,000 as the first animal sold on the live telecast. Kyra Stierwalt also won the Intermediate Sheep Showmanship contest- we have details of several other Oklahoma Youth that did well in the Showmanship classes as well below.
The Grand Champion Market Hog was the top Crossbred of the show- and was owned by Chris Hofschulte from Wyandotte, Oklahoma. Chris plans on attending OSU, starting next fall, and hopes to follow in the steps of his dad as an ag education teacher. The weakened economy showed its head the most for this animal among those sold on Friday evening, with a final bid of $16,000 for this top barrow shown in Denver here in 2009, well down from the $51,000 received one year ago.
The final animal sold on the telecast was the Grand Champion Steer- shown by another Stierwalt from Leedey. Ky Stierwalt is a Senior at Leedey High School, and among other activities, is the President of the Leedey FFA Chapter. His Steer is named Chavez- and bidders pushed the final price on the Grand Champion Steer to $50,000.
We have an audio overview of this Premium Sale- and you can click on the Listen Bar below to hear it.
Besides winning all three of the Grand Champion Banners in 2009 at the National Western- Oklahoma youth also did well in the Showmanship competition. The Reserve Junior Swine Showman was Levi Herren of El Reno. In the Sheep Showmanship competition- the Oklahoma youth hogged the limelight. The Junior Champion Sheep Showman was Amber Cox of Morrison. In the Intermediate Division, the Champion Showman was Kyra Stierwalt of Leedey and the Reserve Showman was Garrett Goodwin of Ponca City. Finally, in the Senior Division, the top sheep showman was Heather Glass of Elgin and the Reserve Senior Showman was Cooper Newcomb of Elk City.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
