A few good friends of 4-H spent $33,125 Saturday morning at the 26th annual Market Livestock Ribbon Auction.

Saturday, August 12, 2000

A few good friends of 4-H spent $33,125 Saturday morning at the 26th annual Market Livestock Ribbon Auction.

That’s only $800 less than the total spent a year ago on the silver anniversary of the largest fund-raising effort for 4-H programming in Mower County.

"That’s fantastic," Dave Quinlan said afterwards. "When you consider, we were down in the number of ribbons auctioned this year, it’s just amazing."

"We’re probably going to see the highest average per ribbon that we’ve ever experienced. I expect it to top $200 per ribbon," Quinlan said.

According to Quinlan, a Mower County Extension Service educator, this year’s total should rank as the third or fourth highest total in the 26-year history of the ribbon auction.

Last year, the auction cracked the $500,000 mark overall, but that was a silver anniversary year. This year, expectations were not so high, considering low farm commodity prices, declining numbers of livestock and an outbreak of the pseudo rabies virus that resulted in at least 30 head of swine being banned from the competition.

When Saturday’s auction activities began with a breakfast in the 4-H building, Ann Walter, Mower County Extension Service educator, pleaded with the buyers to be generous.

The 2000 auction attracted over 220 buyers.

"Considering all the factors, we’re all very pleased at the results of the auction. We appreciate the support and generosity of the buyers and I know the 4-Hers do too," said Quinlan.