Area Kids Plan College Careers with Premium Sale Proceeds

Goats, barrows, lambs and steers from children and teens all over the state entered the premium sale on Saturday at the Stock Show, auctioned off to the highest bidder, loaded up and taken away.

Seats for the bidders were arranged in groups of four at a table. Each seat is for a buyer who pledges to bid at least $2,500 in this year’s premium sale, or $10,000 per table.

Buying a table (or pledging $10,000) means you’re a platinum bidder.

Among the platinum bidders were 1^st Community Federal Credit Union, Jim Bass Cars and Trucks, Armstrong Backus & Co, Automatic Fire Protection, HEB, Twin Mountain Fence, Noise Attenuation Construction, and XS Ranch. Platinum bidders usually work with smaller bidders to “find money” for the students. We saw Auto Wrangler, A B Distributing, GA Auto Glass, and even San Angelo LIVE! contributing money into larger pots of money.

In all, 136 students got to go across the auctioneer’s stage. According to the Stock Show organizers, the animals exhibited in the Junior Market Steer Show, Junior Market Barrow Show, Junior Market Lamb Show, and Junior Market Goat Show that place in the top end of their division advance to the premium sale. The first eight, the highest scoring in their respective categories, took their animals across the stage with them.  The others walked themselves across the stage, sans livestock, to allow more time for more students at auction.

The students own and care for their animal for at least three months to a year. Raising an animal teaches students time management, responsibility, communication skills, and husbandry skills.

The bidding on each animal could go as high as $25,000, but most of the winning bids were for less than $3,000. The more local a student was, generally the more buyers there were, and the higher the bid, regardless of where the student placed. Although, contestants from as far away as Liberty County in east Texas still were able to get $1,000 or $2,000 for their livestock.

The 2015 totals were not available at press time. Donations are made through the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo, a 503(c)-3 non-profit organization, are tax deductible.

For these nine area children and teens who we caught at the event, the sale was the end of a several-months intensive relationship with the animals, who were raised, cared for and shown over the past year in preparation for the sale.

With mixed emotions they watched their animals go in exchange for money, most of which will be used to purchase more livestock or to fund college careers. The sale is a "terminal sale," meaning that the animals are taken to market after the sale.

Below is what the nine area kids had to say after the sale.

Mason Fuchs

Mason Fuchs, 13, of the Tom Green County 4-H club, worked with his lamb “Stud” for nine to 10 months before the San Angelo Stock Show, and won the title Champion Finewool Cross Lamb.

With the money he earned in the sale, Fuchs intends to pay for some of his college in the future. He hopes to go to Texas A&M University in College Station.

Kriss Kellermeier

“Whitey Tighty” was just one of the names 17-year-old Kriss Kellermeier came up with for her steer, who won the Champion American Steer title in the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. She is part of the Wall FFA.

Kellermeier has been raising and showing animals for over 10 years now, and plans to save some of the money from Saturday’s premium sale for college. She hopes to become a dental hygienist, but hasn’t begun thinking about schools yet, and thinks she’ll most likely start at ASU.

The Broz Brothers

Andrew Broz, 12, was on double duty on Saturday, selling both his 16-year-old brother Nicholas’ Reserve Champion American Steer and his own first place winning Class 7 American Steer.

Both brothers plan on using their funds to purchase more steers, which has taught them responsibility, Andrew said. The brothers go to five major shows a year and, of the two brothers, Andrew enjoys the shows most. Both are part of the Tom Green County 4-H club.

Calvin Brigman

Another Wall FFA member, 16-year-old Calvin Brigman is looking forward to a college career with his winnings from Saturday, when he sold his first place winning Class 32 OPB White Barrow, “Rastus”.

Brigman has been showing for three years, and says it isn’t too difficult for him to let go of an animal at a sale.

Carson Kelso

Carson Kelso, 15, was on hand Saturday with his European Steer he calls “Hamp”. Kelso’s Class 15 steer won first place this year, and with the funds acquired through sale, Kelso intends to purchase another steer for next year.

Showing animals has taught Kelso respect for animals, he said. Kelso is a member of Bronte FFA.

Mason Hutto

Mason Hutto, 11, had two animals for sale in Saturday’s premium sale, both a goat and a lamb.  A member of the Eldorado FFA, Hutto has already got plans for the future, and hopes to go to Texas A&M to study agricultural science.

Hutto’s winnings on Saturday will go toward a college fund and the purchase of more animals.

Walker Harris

Holding up a network of balloons twisted into the likeness of his own Hampshire Barrow “Fred”, 17-year-old Walker Harris explained that the proceeds from his second-place winning pig will go toward a college fund.

Harris is a member of the Irion County 4-H club.

Macy McNutt

Macy McNutt, 14, won second place with her Class 4 Wether Goat in the San Angelo Stock Show, and has been showing since the 2^nd grade. She is a member of the Irion County 4-H club.

McNutt hopes to either attend Texas Tech or Texas A&M once she graduates and would like to become a veterinarian. Some of the proceeds from Saturday’s sale will go toward her college fund.