In a Sale of Champions that lasted just over 5 hours Friday night, April 3, the Wood County Junior Livestock show raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Grand Champion and Reserve Champion portion of the sale alone raised $86,850.

More than a few happy tears were shed by competitors at the event – especially when a Grand Champion Market Lamb owned by Layton Stout of the Winnsboro FFA went sky-high in auction. The lamb, whose floor price was $344, eventually sold for $12,500 amidst wild cheers from the crowd and tears from Stout. As family and friends climbed over the fence to hug Stout, auctioneer Kelly Conley said that the price is “a new record” in the category.

Even before the record-setting item, however, the auction started with a bang as Mason Williams of the Quitman FFA received $7,750 for his Grand Champion Steer. Wood County Electric, Alba Tractor, and City National Bank bought the steer.

Next, Ashley Ventura, Mineola FFA, received $8,200 from Texas Country Ford for her Grand Champion Commercial Heifer.

Denver Driver of the Winnsboro FFA was given $3,900 from Toliver Ford for his Grand Champion Dairy Heifer.

Caroline Anders of Wood County 4-H received $4,000 for her Grand Champion Market Hog.

Kash McKamie, Hawkins FFA, sold his Grand Champion Market Goat for $7,500.

Jayce Todd, Hawkins FFA, sold his Grand Champion Broiler for $6,000 to Legacy Ag Credit, Sanderson Farms, Hawkins Auto and Farm Supply, and Alba Tractor.

Kyleigh Swanner, Winnsboro FFA, received $1,600 for the Grand Champion Meat Rabbit.

Stacy Van Vleet of the Quitman FFA sold her Grand Champion Ag Mechanics project, a table and saddle, for $4,100 to Toliver Ford.

Gage Bardwell, Mineola FFA, sold his Reserve Champion Market Steer to Texas Country Ford for $5,500.

Texas Country Ford also bought the next item, the Reserve Champion Commercial Heifer owned by Lucy Chaney of the Alba-Golden FFA. It sold for $2,800.

Makenzy Driver, Winnsboro FFA, sold her Reserve Champion Dairy Heifer for $3,500.

Jane Crow of the Hawkins FFA sold her Reserve Champion Market Goat for $7,300 to the Wood County Farm Bureau.

Brooklyn Campbell of Wood County 4-H sold her Reserve Champion Market Lamb for $3,000 to Kernes A/C Heat & Electrical.

Tucker Hayes, Quitman FFA, sold his Reserve Champion Broiler to People’s Telephone for $5,500. “He’s smiling now,” joked the auctioneer during the sale.

Sophie Camp, also of the Quitman FFA, received $2,000 from Red Dome Smokehouse for her Reserve Champion Meat Rabbit.

Rylan Williams, Hawkins FFA, sold his Reserve Champion Ag Mechanics project, a table filled with bullet casings and shotgun shells overlaid in resin, to Evans Petroleum Services for $2,200.

All money raised during the auction, except a 3% commission used to fund the project, goes directly to participants.

124 contestants participated in the Sale of Champions, and 300 exhibitors from across Wood County participated in the Wood County Junior Livestock Show.