MANSFIELD – Saturday was a record breaking day at the Richland County Fair, with multiple auction highs set within minutes of each other.
Hadley Williams, Grand Campion of the beef calves, started things off strong. The 17-year-old eclipsed last year’s record of $5,000 with a grand total of $5,600 purchased by Adena Corporation.
Her record however, only stood for a matter of minutes before Reserve Champion, Ridge Wendling, broke it with $5,800, purchased by Amcrete Concrete Construction and attorney David M. Dick.
Williams is going into her senior year at Lucas High School. She is a member of Great Expectations 4-H and a past member of Lucas FFA. Williams has been showing livestock for eight years, three with calves and six with steers.
“It’s pretty cool just breaking the record,” Williams said. “I know they’ve been doing that for the last couple years, just trying to break each record.”
Williams also collected the third-place spot for market meat goats, earning $2,800 from Amcrete Concrete Construction.
Watching everyone come together, looking out for the youth is what Williams said she enjoys most.
All the money Williams earns goes towards her animals for the next year, as well as setting aside some for college. She plans to pursue a degree in occupational therapy, with a focus on pediatrics.
Her advice for anyone who would like to follow in her footsteps is to be willing to listen and put the time in.
“It’s a lot of work, but if you put the time in and listen to the people who are trying to help you it will work out in the end,” Williams said.
Final year ends with a Grand Champion title
Madison Boyer, 18, of Lucas, has been showing animals for 12 years and is a member of Kickin It Country 4-H.
This year, the animals she had were a beef steer, two goats and a younger cow.
Boyer won the Grand Champion and fifth-place spots for market meat goats. She pocketed $2,300 for her Grand Champion goat, purchased by Mid West Trucking.
Showing her animals and getting to know them she said is her favorite part of the journey.
“I’m sad that it is over,” she said. “But it was a good year.”
Boyer starts preparing her animals for this event long before it starts.
“They get walked every day,” Boyer said. “My brother helps a lot with the fitting and everything for shows, but it is a lot of work.”
All of the money Boyer earns goes toward her college fund. She will be attending Ashland University in the fall for nursing.
The advice she shared to those who want to follow in her footsteps is to work hard because you never know when it will be your last event.
From rabbits to steers, hard work pays off
Courtney Stiving, 18, is a recent graduate of Shelby High School. She took home $6,000 for her beef steer. The purchase was split between Carother’s Pest Control, Sportsman’s Den and Schroeder Farms — Anthony and John.
“I have been showing animals my whole life,” she said. “As soon as I could, when I turned 9, I started showing.”
She was a 4-H Clover Bud in the past and has been a member of the Shelby FFA for the past four years. She began showing rabbits and feeder calves at first, but for the past five years she has shown steers.
Stiving has a strong support system that helps contribute to her success including her aunt and boss — who were the buyers.
“They normally plan up a thing to support me.” Stiving said.
“It is pretty great. I have always been very fortunate in past years to be able to make a decent amount of money,” she said.
Stiving said she has always been very involved in FFA.
“I was an officer and would do livestock judging,” she said.
Her advice to newcomers is to not shy away from trying something new.
“Don’t be scared,” she said. “There is a lot of work you have to put into it but don’t be scared to try something new.
“It is a really great thing to be a part of and join,” she said.
Stiving will be going to Findlay for pharmacy school.
Studer takes home another win
Kennedy Studer, the Showman of Showmen winner and Reserve Champion, also took home $10,000 for her hog, purchased by Alston Construction.
(Pictures from Jr. Fair Livestock Auction. Picture credit: Hannah Martin)
