For Immediate Release
2009 Sale of Champions Breaks All-Time Record; Crowd Erupts
In Applause When Bidding Escalates
By Claude L. Brock
Photos by Danny Bolin and Linda Doane
LOUISVILLE, KY – November 19, 2009 – The 2009 Sale of Champions at the North
American International took a surprising upturn and grossed $98,800 for six champion animals
this year. The sale broke the former 2006 record by $3,300.
Many observers were in awe that the sale was a record-breaker amid one of America’s
most serious economic downturns.
Harold Workman praised sale buyers at the well-known youth sale. “Leaders in
agriculture always come through when the going gets tough,” he said.
Workman is President and CEO of the Kentucky State Fair Board and Founding Manager
of the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE). He also observed that
livestock producers across America are feeling the effects of a poor national economy, but, “they
obviously have made up their mind to support young people and to have confidence that the farm
economy will improve”.
Six young people from five states sold their project animals at the famous Sale of
Champions at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE).
The big sale features young people who have won Champion and Reserve Champion
honors in three of the expo’s market shows. Those shows are for youth under 21-years-of-age
and include the Junior Steer Show, Junior Market Wether Show and the Junior Market Swine
Show.
Stars of the Sale
The Grand Champion Steer was owned by Sarah Vickland of Longmont, Colorado.
She is the daughter of Dr. Patricia Vickland and the late Dr. James Vickland. The steer sold for
$26,500.
-more-
The Reserve Champion Steer sold for $22,000 and was owned by Bayley Kroupa of
White Lake, South Dakota. She is the daughter of Greg and Renette Kroupa.
The Grand Champion Market Wether Lamb was sold for $13,000 and was owned by
Cooper Newcomb of Elk City, Oklahoma. He is the son of Lake and Sherri Newcomb.
Jordan Amburgey of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky was owner of the Reserve Champion
Market Wether Lamb. He is the son of Sam and Teresa Amburgey and his entry sold for
$11,000.
The Grand Champion Hog was sold for $15,000 and the owner was A.J. Muegge of
Greenfield, Indiana, the son of Jeff and Lisa Muegge.
The Reserve Champion Hog was owned by Kayla Hieston of Lebanon, Indiana, and it
sold for $11,300. Kayla is the daughter of Richard & Karen Pennington.
Charity Donations Help Homeless & Underprivileged
Buyers at the Sale of Champions have traditionally donated nearly one ton of meat that is
derived from the sale’s animals to Kentucky Harvest, an organization that distributes meat to
area food kitchens and shelters.
In addition to the meat given by buyers, the Sale of Champions Committee deducts 10%
from sale proceeds and directs the money to the Kentucky Harvest “Blessings in a Backpack”
program. The Backpack program provides underprivileged students with food each Friday during
the school year to assure they have enough to eat during weekends and holidays when they are
not in school.
The North American International Livestock Exposition, host to the Sale of Champions,
is the largest purebred livestock exposition in the world. The two-week run of events in
Louisville this year attracted an estimated 200,000 visitors from the United States, over 60
buyers from several foreign countries and featured nearly 22,000 livestock entries.
The exposition will be held in 2010 during November 6-19, at the Kentucky Exposition
Center in Louisville.
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Photographs and news releases regarding individual Sale of Champions winners and a listing of all
buyers can be located on the North American International web site at www.livestockexpo.org.