The annual premium auction of winning entries in the Wood County Junior Livestock Show climbed above $300,000 Friday evening at the Quitman school ag barn.

The unofficial total of $317,205 did not include thousands more dollars in add-ons donated to the young entrepreneurs by businesses and individuals.

Fernel Ventura of the Wood County 4-H got the night started with a $10,500 bid for his champion market steer.

The buyers were a consortium of Potts Feed Store, City National Bank, Northeast Texas Farmers Co-op, Kernes Heating and Air, Alba Tractor and Farm Country.

Bidding stayed lively through the list of grand champions and beyond.

Brayley Carr of the Quitman FFA drew a $7,500 bid for her champion commercial heifer from James Derryberry.

Winnsboro Livestock kicked in $4,000 for the champion dairy heifer exhibited by Makenzy Driver of the Winnsboro FFA.

Big Boys Construction contributed with a $5,750 bid for the champion hog of Kash McKamie of the Hawkins FFA.

Hawkins FFA continued with the champion goat of Blaine Crow drawing $4,000 from the Wood County Farm Bureau and the champion lamb of Rylee Dunn, which the enthusiastic Hawkins Buyers Group bought for $5,000.

Averi Ryan of Quitman FFA won top honors in the broilers and received $5,000 for her efforts from Peoples Telephone.

Gage Henk of the Wood County 4-H had the champion rabbits and sold them to Wood County Electric Co-op for $2,500.

Rounding out the champions was Gabby Chaney of the Quitman FFA with the top ag mechanic project, sold to Kernes Heat and Air for $2,000.

The reserve champion steer drew $6,100 for Grady Hudson of the Hawkins FFA from 4W Farms and the Hawkins Buyers Group.

Alba-Golden got in on the act as Hannah Shackleford brought $6,000 for the reserve champion commercial heifer from Lennon Construction.

Toliver Ford purchased the reserve champion dairy heifer for $3,000 from Michelle Tuttolomondo of the Yantis FFA.

Luke Wernecke of the Mineola FFA received $4,100 from Lake Country Animal Clinic for the reserve champion hog.

Bryn Boisclair of the Quitman FFA got a $2,800 bid for the reserve champion goat from Smith Builders and Legacy Ag Credit.

Wayne Sanders and Legacy Ag Credit purchased the reserve champion broilers of Luke Goforth from Alba-Golden FFA for $3,000.

Alexis Higgins of Quitman FFA drew $2,000 from Peoples Telephone for the reserve champion rabbits.

Kegan McBride completed the champions with the reserve ag mechanics project, receiving $750 from Eric Clemmons and Wood County Farm Bureau.

Among other notable bids, the third place hog of Brooke Lee of the Quitman FFA got $7,000 from the First National Bank of East Texas.

Buddy Huff bought the fourth place broilers of Kennedi Elmore of the Quitman FFA for $6,000.

And the final lot, No. 120, Colten Smith’s 33rd place hog from the Quitman FFA, received $6,000 from Legacy Ag Credit, Precision Fence, Dwayne Henry, First National-East Texas, Seth’s Lake Fork Creek Restaurant and Shops at 107.