Livestock auction fair’s ‘big event of the year’

Kids auctioned off their prized livestock for big paydays Friday during the frenzied excitement and competition of the annual livestock sale at the Shawano County Fair.

Bidders and spectators packed inside the Coliseum for a virtual parade of the biggest and best beef, swine and sheep that area 4-H and FFA club members produced this year.

Hundreds of people filled the arena to standing-room-only status, as auctioneers called out for offers from bidders competing to purchase the high-quality livestock.

“It’s a very exciting night,” said Jamie Patton, the University of Wisconsin-Extension agriculture agent for Shawano County.

Patton said the number of animals registered for auction had increased to 141 — nine more than last year — and the judges who selected grand champions and other winners were extremely impressed by the quality of livestock presented in Shawano County this year.

“It’s a beautiful year,” she said.

The grand champion animals this year:

• A 1,389-pound beef cow entered by Deanna Zernicke of the Bonduel FFA.

• A 1,436-pound dairy cow entered by Trevor Stewart of the Tiger Tribe 4-H Club.

• A 271-pound swine entered by Logan Harbaugh of the County Line 4-H Club.

• A 154-pound sheep entered by Megan Zeitler of the Landstad 4-H Club.

The auction was expected to continue for three hours Friday night before all 141 kids had a chance to present their animals and hope for a robust payday — the culmination of several months of work for them raising and grooming their animals for county fair competition.

Mason Jauquet, a senior at Pulaski High School, was delighted that his 285-pound swine brought a bid $8.75 per pound, for a total price of nearly $2,500. Jauquet said that was more than he has ever fetched before, including a few years ago when he had a grand champion hog.

Jauquet, who said the money would support his future college education, said the auction is about more than just money to him. He said agricultural work is a passion to him, and he values mostly the validation and acknowledgement that he has done a good job.

“I put a lot of hard work into this,” he said. “It’s showing me that my hard work pays off.”

Bidders active in the auction included Charlie’s County Market, Maplewood Meats, Festival Foods, Riesterer & Schnell and Witt Family Ford, along with many others. The bidding got pretty intense at times, although the bidders mostly were having fun and showing support for the 4-H and FFA kids.

More than once, winning bidders donated their animals back to be auctioned again, with the additional proceeds benefiting the livestock show’s college scholarship program.

Bonnie Kaczmarowski, of Pulaski, cheered for her daughter, Brooke, 13, who netted $1,725 for a 300-pound swine that she worked hard to raise herself. Kaczmarowski said the money probably would go toward college or a car for Brooke in a few years.

Kaczmarowski said her daughter enters livestock and other projects at the county fair every year. The livestock auction is one of the family’s favorite events.

“It’s pretty much a highlight of the fair for us,” she said. “It’s the big event of the year.”