Despite a two-week delay and no animal projects on hand to display, the sale of champions for the Wood County Junior for Livestock Show last Thursday drew a packed house to the Carroll Green Civic Center in Quitman and bids eclipsing $303,000.

The sale had to be postponed when severe weather rolled through the county on Friday, April 4 – the final day of the week-long stock show.

It was moved to the civic center, for a fish dinner courtesy of Seth’s Lake Fork Creek and introductions of the champions and reserve champions.

Longtime auctioneers Kelly Conley and Shannon Davis kept the bidding rolling through 120 lots and hit the $300,000 mark with one final entry to go.

The grand champion steer of Jaxon Love of Hawkins FFA led off the action with a $10,000 bid from City National Bank, Potts Feed and Big Country Feed.

Brayley Carr of the Quitman FFA received $2,500 for her champion commercial heifer from Jeffrey Brawner.

Nita Kemp bid $3,000 for the grand champion dairy heifer of Justin Vivion of the Yantis FFA.

The show and auction were dedicated to her late husband and longtime stock show supporter Jack Kemp. It was also announced that a new scholarship bearing Kemp’s name has been established and Nita Kemp kicked in $50,000 to get it started.

“We lost a great friend,” said stock show announcer Robert Reynolds.

“He loved our kids unconditionally.”

Next up was the grand champion hog of Kash McKamie of the Hawkins FFA. His dad, Scott, was an enthusiastic auctioneer’s assistant as the bidding went to $4,000 from the Hawkins Buyers Group.

The group also purchased the next two items – the grand champion goat of Blaine Crow of the Hawkins FFA for $4,000 and the grand champion lamb of Kayla Williams of Hawkins FFA for $4,000.

Averi Ryan of the Quitman FFA drew $6,000 for her grand champion broilers from Peoples Telephone.

The grand champion rabbits of Sophie Camp of the Quitman FFA went for $1,750 to Toliver Ford of Quitman.

Allison Van Vleet of the Quitman FFA concluded the champions with a $1,750 bid from Kerr Heating and Air for her ag mechanics project, a foot bridge.

The reserve champion steer of Emma Cowley of the Hawkins FFA went to the buyers group for $7,000.

The reserve champion commercial heifer of Deacon Hall of the Alba-Golden FFA was purchased by Edward Jones of Emory for $3,500.

Kendall Davis of the Quitman FFA received $2,500 from the Quitman Animal Clinic.

The reserve champion hog of Luke Wernecke of Mineola FFA went for $6,250 to Jeffrey Brawner.

Carly Parrott of the Hawkins FFA got a $3,000 bid from the Hawkins Buyers Group for the reserve champion goat.

Brooke Burson from the Winnsboro FFA drew a bid of $2,250 for the reserve champion lamb from a group including Mrs. Kemp, Wood County Farm Bureau and Northeast Texas Farmers Co-op.

William Louderman of Alba-Golden FFA’s reserve champion broilers went for $6,000 to Lennon Construction.

The reserve champion rabbits of Elington Osbern of Alba-Golden FFA received a $2,000 bid from First National Bank of East Texas.

The final champion item was the reserve ag mechanics project of Gabby Chaney of the Quitman FFA, bought by Toliver Ford for $3,250.