The 56th version of the Mineola Hay Show continued the strong tradition of support for the Mineola agricultural education program – even if shaking up the format a bit.

As emcee Jackie Rodieck noted, while the hay show has long honored tradition, it’s also time to look where we’re going.

The entertainment was switched from an after-dinner speaker to a mealtime musician, Todd Brewer.

Door prizes were greatly enhanced, featuring more than 50 offerings valued at more than $5,500.

And comment cards were offered to attendees, who filled the Meredith Hall at the Mineola Civic Center last Tuesday.

Though the annual auction of the winning entries did not reach last year’s record of more than $40,000, it still generated $32,500 – plus add-ons, to assist the Mineola school programs.

Last year the hay show awarded a dozen MHS seniors scholarships totaling $26,500, bringing the total to $116,000 in the past five years and more than $250,000 in the show’s 56-year history.

Kelly Conley again served as the auctioneer, with a little help from longtime show supporter Sammy Young, who handled door prize duties and kept things lively.

Damon Young and Jason Ray assisted.

Mineola FFA President Sydney Van Cleave gave the welcome.

Bids are as follows, with growers listed first (or specialty items), winning bidders and bid amounts.

• Martha Holmes, J&H Septic, $2,500
• Greg Walker, Seth’s Lake Fork and Mineola Packing, $2,400
• David Miller, Big Country Farm Store, $2,800
• Jerry Jackson, Wood County Electric Co-op. $1,600
• David Rains, Emory Livestock, $800
• Farm toys and Glen Dossett woodworking, Mineola Pecan House, $800
• Rusty Goforth, Mineola Community Bank, $1,200
• Froilan Martinez, City National Bank, $700
• Bruce Cheatham, First National Bank-East Texas, $800
• Vern Fernholtz, Kelly Drug, $700
• Damon Young, Buddy and Loretta Huff, $1,150
• Transfer pump, David Cody Jr., $650
• Kennedi Elmore, Young Oil Co., $750
• Tom West, Archie Mapes, $550
• Sammy Young, Emory Livestock, $750
• Tyler and Beverly English, Wood County Farm Bureau, $700
• Larry Osbourn, Monica Cook-State Farm, $600
• Thermal hog hunt, Kevin Merritt, $1,250, donated for re-auction, City National Bank, $1,200
• Drew Russell, United Ag and Turf, $600
• Jordan Saxon, Valley Feed Mill, $500
• Jim Hinderman, Mineola Packing, $500
• Jody Holmes, Young Oil Co., $750
• Scott Young, Jerry Gaskill, $500
• Boone Ranch 50 lbs. beef, Wood County Farm Bureau, $1,000
• Taylor Arney, Cody Mize, $600
• Hannah Bowles, Monica Cook-State Farm, $600
• Heather Allen, First National Bank-East Texas, $350
• Lowell Main, FNB East Texas, $400
• Diron Young, Boone Ranch, $400
• Spray rig, Monica Cook-State Farm, $550
• Wanda Varnell, FNB East Texas, $300
• Jim Hooton, Circle E Farms, $450
• Tuff Arney, Jole Ray, $525
• Forrest Clark, Circle E Farms, $525
• Jon Allen, Mineola Community Bank, $525
• Cooker, Trophy Creek Properties, $650
• Mineola FFA rocker and fire pit, Logan’s Place, $625
• In addition a piglet was auctioned to benefit the Mineola FFA boosters to Young Oil for $625.

The hay show also presented a donation to the boosters for $2,500.

Scholarship winners with amounts, institution and major:

• Kaylie Roberts, $3,000, Texas A&M-Commerce, agri-business
• Sunni Ruffin, $3,000, Baylor, medical humanities
• Riley Donohoe, $3,000, University of Texas-Tyler, business
• Michelle Hernandez, $3,000, Tyler Junior College, dental hygiene
• Valerie Veloz, $3,000, Texas A&M-Commerce, ag education
• Jack Heard, $2,500, Univeristy of Texas-Dallas, mechanical engineering
• Ava Johnson, $2,500, Texas A&M, business
• Christian Martinez, $2,500, Tarleton State, agri-business
• Emily Conner, $1,000, Stephen F. Austin, nursing
• Aubree Smith, $1,000, Texas A&M, business
• Alexis Villeda, $1,000, Tarleton State, ag education
• Holly Williams, $1,000, Premier Dental Academy, dental assistant.