Net $22,830 in trophy auction
~courtesy of The Scranton Journal
The threat of blizzard conditions on Saturday night resulted in the Greene County Cattlemen’s Association moving its annual banquet to Friday evening. That decision appeared to have no effect on the crowd as close to 200 people enjoyed a ribeye steak dinner.
J J Hoyle and Andrew Michaelson grilled the steaks with Lidderdale Country Store catering the rest of the meal.
The highlight of the evening is the trophy auction with representatives from Laughery Auction Service / Guthrie Sale Barn along with Dunlap Livestock Auction crying the sale. Cattlemen and auctioneers worked the crowd, urging the buyers to bid higher.
Hamilton Land was the top buyer at $1,775 for trophies and other merchandise. The firm will keep the traveling trophy until the 2020 banquet. HyVee was runner up at $1,375.
Hamilton Redi Mix started the night on a high note with a bid of $1,050 for the grand champion 4-H market animal trophy. Greene County Ag was close behind on the second overall champion 4-H market animal at $1,000.
All totaled, the Cattlemen collected $22,830 through the trophy sale. Brenda Thorp baked an apple pie that brought $400 while her French silk pie brought the same amount. Her cinnamon rolls netted $225.
A specially designed welcome metal cutout contributed by Shane Olson of Olson Iron Works was popular with the bidders, bringing $460 from Stoline Custom Baling. There were also prints and wall hangings on the auction in addition to the trophies.
Special recognition was given to six retiring directors. The men have a combined 169 years of service to the organization.
“I’ve grown up with these guys,” said Tanner Lawton as he introduced them and thanked them for their service.
Retiring from the board are: Doug Lawton, 39 years; Roger Rowles and Mike Ostendorf, 30 years; Steve Kennedy, 25 years; Dave Tipton, 23 years;
and Tom Heun, 22 years.
Joining the board are Bob Bills, Patrick Minnihan and Justin Muir.
Tom Lawton serves as president; Justin Robbins, vice president, and Tanner Lawton as treasurer. Additional directors are Ben Gannon, Mike Holden, Brandon Muir and Derek Kennedy.
Holden gave the invocation prior to the meal, asking that the predicted five – eight inches of snow be changed to five – eight inches of rain to fall between July 1 and Labor Day. His comments drew numerous chuckles.
Scholarship winners from 2018 were recognized. Receiving $750 awards were Kane Borgeson, C J Muir, Releigh St Clair, Ben Bravard, Kara Betts, Charles Gunn and Joe Towers. County Fair beef exhibitor scholarships of $250 were given to Thomas Gannon, Muir, Betts and Gunn.
The past year was another busy one for the Greene County Cattlemen. Their list of accomplishments include:
• working at Beef Quarters at Iowa State Fair
• handing out “Pat’s Sliders” at Bell Tower Parade
• supporting Iowa 4-H Foundation
• helping with 4-H beef show sale and weigh-in
• providing scholarships to senior beef exhibitors
• expanded scholarship program
• grilling: hamburgers at Greene County Fair, hamburgers for students at Greene County High School, Fourth grade farm day at Juergensen farm, Greene County fourth and fifth grade picnic, Greene County Homecoming, Greene County Little League opening night, Greene County baseball and soccer, Greene County football pre-game meal, Bell Tower Festival, Greene County Community Center 20th anniversary event, Farmers’ Market, Landus Beef Feed open house, Farm Bureau safety day, Amazing Race, Midland Power, AAI Relay for Life and Rueters Kubota Day
• Donations: IJBBA, ICA Carcass Challenge, Relay for Life, 4-H fitting contest, ear tags and neck ties for 4-H beef exhibitors, programs for 4-H beef show, Greene County Fair, 4-H Clover Cafe hamburgers at Greene County Fair, hamburgers at fourth grade Farm Day at Juergensen farm, hamburgers at Greene County fourth and fifth grade picnic, hamburgers at Greene County Little League opening night, 20 FFA jackets for Greene County FFA Chapter, hamburgers for students at Greene County High School, Greene County baseball and Greene County soccer, hamburgers at Greene County football pre-game meal, Greene County prom, Greene County Community Center 20th anniversary event, Greene County ARC, Greene County Watch Dog
Landus Cooperative was recognized as a corporate sponsor of the event.
