The carcass results were announced and the Limousin steer I had loved to hate all summer was gaining some of my respect back as it barely made it into the Choice Quality Grade, grading Low Choice. That's great I'll take it. The carcass weighed 780 pounds, with .32 inches of back fat and an above average ribeye area of 13.2 inches. This would arguably be the best eating steer at the fair that year. It would also be labeled as the 1996 Perry County Fair Grand Champion Carcass Steer.
Sale day came and I knew we would be getting a few extra dollars, now that this steer had landed in the Champion spot. Since all of our livestock sales money would go into one account and divided between the 6 of us equally. I turned toward the auctioneer who was most likely Ron Kreis, Doug Leith, or Todd Woodruff as he read the Carcass data. I turned back around to face the people who had sat there for my entire Perry County Sale years and beyond. The NFO sat down front to the left, Jeff McGee clear back in the back standing, Libbie Wyer buying for McDonalds in the back row of the bleachers. Politicians and local business owners packed that hot coliseum to support the local youth. The auction started. Oh how I love the sound of a good auctioneer.
To my right just out barely in the barn was Tim Cotterman of TC Market. He had bought numerous animals through the sale at the Perry County Fair. I assume because he was a 4-H member and sold through this very sale ring. Maybe because he has a locally famous grocery store owner with a tremendous meat case and wanted to advertise. It may have been because along with this busy and rewarding summer Tim had employed me and I was working my first summer job in the grocery store he owned. The auctioneer was taking bids from Tim and soon the auction was over and Tim had bought the Grand Champion Carcass steer.
Auctioneers often give a speech at livestock auctions that says that kids may forget how much they got from their animal, but they aren't soon to forget the buyer. Isn't that the truth?
Thanks Tim for purchasing so many of our animals at the Perry County Fair and also for my first summer job!
Thanks for all the fair memories! It's nice to know all those fun times are still remembered and shared by others.
ReplyDeleteJackie - thanks for helping me make so many great memories. Thanks for giving me this picture 15 years ago. Who knew we could put it on the internet one day.
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