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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 10:19 PM CDT
Locals take big bucks at state fair sale

By MIKE RIOPELL, JG/T-C Springfield Bureau

SPRINGFIELD — Brittany Kiefer began showing hogs at the Illinois State Fair when she was 9 years old and this year was the Illinois Wesleyan University student’s last shot to win a major award.

Her pig won a grand champion award at the fair this week, and was sold for $10,000 at the fair’s Sale of Champions Tuesday night, giving Kiefer a little more money to put toward her education.

She was one of several young people showing their livestock Tuesday night, including two grand champion winners from Coles County.

Kiefer, 19, said 10 years of experience helped her take the big award.

“You just watch other people and learn from them,” said Kiefer, a Livingston County native.

Thirteen-year-old Alesha Binkley of Charleston had a pretty different experience with her goat, Marco. Binkley won grand champion in her first year showing goats.

Marco brought $2,600 at the auction, and all the winners Tuesday night said their money would go toward college educations.

All the state fair grand champions were auctioned Tuesday, including a record-setting steer that went for more than $50,000. The night included Chicago-native Gov. Rod Blagojevich trying his hand at auctioneering.

In one moment of frustration, the governor threatened to raise taxes if bidding didn’t continue.

“Thank you for being such an inspiration to my kids,” Blagojevich said to the 4-H and FFA members on hand.

In her first Sale of Champions auction, Binkley was glad to have a friend of hers around. Charleston resident Kelley Grant, 15, took top honors in poultry with three nearly identical chickens.

“Now, I know a lot of people in the tent,” Binkley said.

Grant, 15, will take home $4,900 for the Cornish rock crosses to help pay for college, where she wants to become a teacher.

She hopes to eventually trigger an interest in agriculture in some of her future pupils.

“Maybe they’ll grow up to be farmers,” she said.

Contact Mike Riopell at mike.riopell@lee.net or 789-0865.

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Becky wrote on Aug 13, 2008 8:47 AM:

" I hope somebody can clear this up for me because I just don't get it. Why would anyone pay $50,000 for a STEER! A bull I understand but a steer? You can't breed him so all you get is the most expensive steaks in the state? Also, congratulations to the winners! It sounds like you worked very hard and deserved your rewards. "