SOLANCONEWS.com -- Prices For Grand Champs ‘Wow’ Solanco Fair Audience

Prices For Grand Champs ‘Wow’ Solanco Fair Audience
By Andy Andrews, Correspondent
QUARRYVILLE -- At some fairs you hear the sheep neighing, as in “whaaaaa.” At the 59th annual Solanco Fair Friday evening, September 19, some members of the audience watching the sale of the grand champion lamb could be heard, in the background, going “wowwww.”

All that because grand champion sheep exhibitor Kelsey Binkley was able to secure a whopping $11.50 per pound for her 128-pound light heavyweight champion, a Hampshire-Suffolk crossbred wether. Buyer was Chip Roten of WSFS Bank, Oxford, Pa., who bid on the lamb for $1,472.

Kelsey, 18, could use the money, too. She’s in the nursing program at Harrisburg Area Community College. The home schooled high school graduate is the daughter of Van and Beth Binkley, Conestoga. When asked if this was her last year of showing, she noted she wasn’t quite sure – yet – but hopes to exhibit at the state Farm Show.

Reserve champion lamb, exhibited by Katrina Frey, right, was purchased by her grandmother, Joan Lawrence, for $9 per pound. In photo, from left, Brooke and Jason Mazebink along with their grandmother Joan Lawrence.

Reserve champion lamb, exhibited by Katrina Frey, right, was purchased by her grandmother, Joan Lawrence, for $9 per pound. In photo, from left, Brooke and Jason Mazebink along with their grandmother Joan Lawrence.

Bidding remained very high for the lambs. The 119-pound reserve champion market lamb exhibited by Katrina Frey, champion middleweight lamb, was purchased for $9 per pound by her grandmother Joan Lawrence of Breezeview Farm for a total of $1,071.

Katrina, 18, daughter of Fritz and Nancy Frey, Quarryville, Pa., said this was her first-time champion lamb at the fair. Katrina said this is her last year of showing at Solanco. She exhibited “Wendy,” a Suffolk ewe purebred purchased from Kathy and Andrew Gerhart, Denver, Pa.

Katrina is majoring in pre-pharmacy at West Virginia University but plans to show beef cattle at the Keystone International Livestock Expo (KILE) and state Farm Show.

Fred Frey, right, sold his grand champion steer at Solanco for $3.80 per pound to WSFS Bank, Oxford, Pa. At left is Fred’s dad, Fritz.

Fred Frey, right, sold his grand champion steer at Solanco for $3.80 per pound to WSFS Bank, Oxford, Pa. At left is Fred’s dad, Fritz.

Katrina’s brother Fred, 15, won grand champion steer with “Mater,” a crossbred Angus named in honor of the tow-truck character in the movie “Cars.” Fred noted this is his fourth grand champion at Solanco.

Fred’s grand champion, the 1,270-pound champion middleweight, was purchased for $3.80 per pound or $4,826 by Quarryville Family Restaurant. The Solanco FFA member plans to exhibit at KILE, Farm Show, as well as the North American International Livestock Expo (NAILE).

Josh Bledsoe, right, sold his reserve champion steer for $1.80 per pound to Brian White at Arc Electric, Denver

Josh Bledsoe, right, sold his reserve champion steer for $1.80 per pound to Brian White at Arc Electric, Denver

Overall reserve steer went to the champion heavyweight steer exhibited by Josh Bledsoe, New Providence, Pa. Josh, 17, son of Greg and Linda Bledsoe, sold the 1,396-pound purebred Shorthorn, nicknamed “Turbo,” to Arc Electric, Denver, Pa., for $1.80 per pound, or a total of $2,512.80. Josh won grand champion at the fair last year with “Hemi.”

The Solanco High School junior and FFA student advisor plans to exhibit at KILE and Farm Show.

WSFS Bank of Oxford, Pa., purchased the grand champion hog, a Duroc purebred barrow exhibited by Tim Rineer, Holtwood, Pa. The 17-year-old son of Barry and Carole Rineer, a senior at Penn Manor High School, finally won grand champion at the fair after eight years of exhibiting. The 246-pound crossbred middleweight champion hog was purchased for $3.25 per pound or a total of $799.50. The hog was nicknamed “Peanut Butter” by Tim’s nieces Larissa, Haley, and Kirsten.

Reserve hog, a 270-pound heavyweight champion exhibited by Dustin Mellott, was purchased for $1.45 per pound by Hess’s Barbecue for a total of $391.50. The hog, nicknamed “Old Red,” was purchased from Carl Herr, Holtwood, Pa. Dustin, 10, is the son of Mike and Denise Mellott, Quarryville, Pa. Dustin is in the fifth grade at Quarryville Elementary School.

Abbie Rineer, right, sold her grand champion dairy beef for $1.45 per pound to National Penn Bank representatives Lloyd Reichenbach and Robin Perry.

Abbie Rineer, right, sold her grand champion dairy beef for $1.45 per pound to National Penn Bank representatives Lloyd Reichenbach and Robin Perry.

Abbie Rineer, 13, daughter of Emily and Tim Rineer, Conestoga, Pa., exhibited the grand champion Holstein dairy beef. The Solanco High School ninth grade student noted it was her first championship. She sold the 570-pound champion for $1.45 per pound to National Penn Bank for a total of $826.50.

Reserve champion dairy beef exhibited by Doug Harnish, right, sold for $1.80 per pound to Nelson Harnish, TriLeaf Tobacco, New Holland, Pa.

Reserve champion dairy beef exhibited by Doug Harnish, right, sold for $1.80 per pound to Nelson Harnish, TriLeaf Tobacco, New Holland, Pa.

Doug Harnish, 14, son of Ken and Chris Harnish, sold his 530-pound reserve grand champion dairy beef animal, a homebred lightweight champion nicknamed “Oscar,” for $1.80 per pound to TriLeaf Tobacco, New Holland, Pa., for a total of $954. Doug is in the ninth grade at Solanco High School and this is his first champion in his first year of showing.

Photos by Andy Andrews

Print This Page

Email: editor@solanconews.com
POSTED 080920_1400 ET

Click the logo to go to our Main Page.

SolancoNews.com is a division of Online Community News ISSN 1554-5415 © 2003-2008
No part of this website may be copied or reproduced without the written permission of the editor.