Premium Sale 2013

County is the only place that dairy can go and potentially get in a premium sale in our state.  My county only takes one dairy heifer.  They don't allow us to show our cows.

I have shown for four years, and the last two years, I have been blessed to win Grand Champion.  I have also been blessed to receive the highest bid in the premium sale.

Last year, my MawMaw and GrandDad and one other anonymous person bid $4100 on me.  This year they let us know that they couldn't give as much as last year, which is totally fine.  Anything is more than what I had before.  What we didn't know is that they also got a second major donor AND the Co-Op threw in $100.  This year I received the high bid of $5100!  The grand champion beef steer usually brings about $2500, so that is AMAZING!

I was also given $50 from John Vance Motors.  I picked it up on Wednesday after school.  It is usually $25 that they give out, but this year they said that if we picked up our money Wednesday through Friday, they would DOUBLE IT!  You bet I got there the first day it was offered!   I've also got some money coming from the booster club.  It's around $200.  Then I think I get an additional $100 for having a Grand Champion,  and maybe I'll get some add-on money from other various people if I'm lucky.

It doesn't seem real.  I guess it will when I get all the money in my hand.  Wow!  What a blessing!

Maddie Moo goes to the fair board

It's that time of year again to submit a proposal to the Logan County Fair Board.  Currently, our county accepts 99 animals into the premium sale:

22 steers - (only 17 were entered - only 14 were in the sale)
3 heifers
22 lambs
2 ewes
22 hogs
3 gilts
22 wethers
2 does
1 dairy heifer

We have proposed, for the last two years that they increase the numbers of dairy allowed in the premium sale AND to add dairy showmanship, since it is the ONLY species that does not have a competition.

This year we were allowed to have showmanship.  The prize all species of showmanship was an embroidered towel.  Each species showmanship winner, other than dairy, was given a key to try to unlock a box containing $300.  Dairy was not included in that portion of the premium sale activities.  Ms. Jennings sponsored show halters for the dairy showmanship winners out of her own pocket.  We received these in the ring at the end of showmanship.

The way this is done isn't right.

SO...
We are getting ready to make a new proposal.  Wish us luck!

Premium Sale!

Okay so, county was a couple months ago, and I just now realized that I never posted anything about it!  The kicker is that I think this is the best year ever in my showing career!!! I got  reserve breed champion Holstein, breed champion Ayrshire, breed champion brown Swiss, and..... SUPREME FEMALE with the Swiss!!!!!  (and I only showed three animals!)

Our county only accepts ONE dairy heifer into the premium sale, so this was the first time I've ever made it! It was so exciting.  We were nearly last to sell that night. The auctioneer was laughing and joking with the crowd that night, so when he started off at $1000 and a bidder immediately raised it to $2000, I thought they were just fooling around and the auction would start in a few minutes when they were finished goofin'...but I was wrong.  They just kept going!  Finally he said, "SOLD!!! $4100!!!"  My eyes were as big as dinner plates!  Later I found out that amount was just an outside bidder.  It didn't include the $950 that I was getting from the Booster Club OR the add-on money that friends and businesses had contributed to the pot!

I've got plaques, ribbons, money, and a giant trophy!  WooHOO!!!

BIG THANKS to sponsors!

The donations of sponsors make it possible for exhibitors to win money and prizes at many shows.

For Local, I sent out twenty-two thank you letters.   For the county show/premium sale, I sent out twenty-six thank you letters.  I didn't have to send out that many, but there were some people that I wanted to thank for their donations of hay and straw for the whole group.  Every thing that every person does for the show teams is important.  We should ALL show our appreciation.

I don't actually send thank you cards.  I send thank you LETTERS.  I include a collage of photos of the work and the awards from the year.  I also write at least a one page (usually two page) letter telling who I am and what I do and thanking the donor for their money or trophy or prize donation.  I want them to know how much their sacrifice means to me.  Money is tight for everyone.  I want them to know that what they do is appreciated.  It's the least I can do in return for all that they give me.