Fair Queen and overall Showman of Showmen Melissa Downerd retrieved a $8-per-pound bid for her champion market lamb at the county fair auction Wednesday. Carriage Towne placed the final bid of $8 per pound for the 136-pound lamb, totaling $1,088. The market price is $1.680 per pound.
Ending a 14-year 4-H career on a high note, Melissa Downerd earned the coveted Showman of Showmen title Wednesday afternoon at the Delaware County Fair. Bubbling with excitement, Melissa, with 4-H group Loin Hustlers, also earned showman for dairy feeder, showman for dairy cow, grand champion heifer, grand champion and reserve for junior heifer and grand champion for dairy feeder. And to top it off, she is also this year’s queen of the Delaware County Fair.
The work Curtis Harsh invested into his market beef grand champion steer paid off — in the form of a $3,750 bid from buyer Triple T Transport. The winning bid kicked off Tuesday’s livestock auction, and was the highest sum of the evening. Harsh, 14, said he plans to invest the money into a steer for next year’s fair. Even though Harsh is a veteran showman from a family of cattlemen, he said parting ways with his animal at the end of the fair never gets any easier.
Committing to grooming and caring for his steer every day since last November paid off for Will Harsh Saturday evening, when he won the Delaware County Jr. Fair Cattle Showman of Showmen. The judge described Will as the clear winner for the classes leading up to Showman of Showmen, yet said he was evenly matched for the showmanship title.
The 2011 Delaware County Junior Fair Royalty contest was held Tuesday, July 26 at Delaware JVS South. From left, members of the court are: Prince Josh Knight, Princess MaryBeth Siekman, Prince Jessy Walker, Princess Ashley Meade, King Lane Kleinlein, Queen Melissa Downerd, Prince Dusty Hamon, Junior Princess Abigail Marshall, Prince Austin Hunt and Junior Princess Ellen Dicken.