Breaks previous high of $139K from last year

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Eli Schutz, 10, of Lyndonville gets ready to bring his steer into the show ring during Friday’s 4-H Market Auction. Samantha Basinait waits with Eli before he took the big beef animal into the ring.

Eli had an animal in the auction for the first time. Dunham Farms paid $4.75 a pound for the steer, a 1,270-pound steer he named Bruce.

Mark Dunham bid on the steer and attended the auction for the first time. He wanted to support a hard-working 4-Her and paid just over $6,000.

“These kids do such a good job,” he said at the auction. “They deserved it.”

The auction was a record-breaker for the Orleans County 4-H Fair. The total winning bids totaled $213,031. That is a big jump from last year’s $139,852, which also set a new record. Before that the high was $64,128 in 2024. The total has now more than tripled in two years.

Haylee Wright, 15, of Lyndonville seeks bids for champion turkey that was already processed. Town & Country Equipment paid $500 for the turkey. Todd Jantzi, auctioneer with Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service in Batavia, kept the auction moving and the bids going up throughout the evening.

There were 126 bidders at the auction, which was 29 more than last year.

There were also 98 lots up for sale, up from 86 the previous year.

About 300 people attended the auction, which was moved from Saturday to Friday night for the first time at the fair.

“You can see there is a lot of energy here,” Jantzi said after the auction. “It’s other businesses doing businesses with the farms and saying ‘thank you.’”

Jantzi also serves as the market auctioneers at the fairs in Niagara, Cattaraugus and two in Erie County.

Matthew Bloom, 16, of Albion has a steer in the ring that was purchased by Keeler Construction for $7,612. Matthew said he reached out to the company, and Keeler attended the auction. Matthew said the proceeds from the auction will go into a college fund after he graduates from Albion.

The 4-Hers were credited for making connections in the community, and personally inviting people to big on the animals and fiber products.

“The kids did a great job reaching out to the bidders,” said Robert Batt, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County.

The biggest bids of the night included $15,172 from H.H. Dobbins for a steer owned by Charlotte Bannister in Carlton and $4,448 from Watson Construction Group for a pig owned by Natalie Miller of Lyndonville.

Carissa Klossner, 18, of Clarendon models a scarf and hat she made from alpaca fibers. It sold for $275 to Lynn Vendetti of Vendetti Farms.

David Welker, 8, of Medina had two lambs in the auction, the market champion and the reserve champion. Hartland Abattoir paid $819 for the champion while Dale Root Trucking paid $600 for the reserve champ. Todd Jantzi is shown scanning the crowd for bids.

Lee Winters, owner of Genesee Feeds in Batavia, paid $12.50 a pound or $3,475 for a pig raised by Henry Dresser of Medina. Winters said the Dresser family have been long time customers.

“They’re a good family,” Winters said. “They support us and I wanted to support them.”

He usually attends five county fairs in WNY to buy an animal at the market auction.

Helen Schofield, 15, of Holley raised this pen of three chickens that sold for $175 to Enjoyable Acres. Helen was assisted in the show ring by her sister Peregrine, age 10, and friend Micah Anderson, age 12.

 Schofield said she was pleasantly surprised to see larger-than0expected bids throughout the auction.

“I’m very happy,” she said about the prices. “It’s great to see the community support we have in Orleans County.”

Brody Collyer of Kendall had a steer in the auction that sold for $4,706 to Dan Dresser.

Anna Grillo, 17, of Albion leads her beef animal towards the show ring. The steer sold for $3,780 to Growmark.

Lane Miller, 9, of Lyndonville had the grand champion pig. His sister Claire, age 6, helps promote the award-winning swine animal. The pig sold for $4,417 to Pat Brennan.

Georgia Baxter, 16, of Churchville leads a dairy steer in the ring. Willow Rock Farm paid $4,635 for the animal.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Bethany Zeiner of Medina gives her son Mateo, 7, a hug on his return from Camp Long Pond. (Right) Wyatt Purnell, 10, and his brother Levi, 7, are greeted by their mother on their return from The Salvation Army’s Camp Long Pond near Penn Yan on Friday morning.

Ten local youth enjoyed a week of camping last week at Camp Long Point in Penn Yan. Andrew Szatkowski of Medina led an effort to secure scholarships and fundraising so the kids could go to camp.

Szatkowski began soliciting donations earlier in the year to pay the $2,000 needed for a bus to transport campers to and from the camp.

On Friday morning, they returned from camp, bursting with stories of camp activities.

As Ryan Howes of Lyndonville sat in his car waiting for their bus to arrive, he said four of his kids were on the bus. He said this was the first time for his son, Alex, but he wanted to do it. His children are 11, 11 (twins), 10 and 9.

He said they learned of the camp when the superintendent of Lyndonville schools put out a memo stating there was a camping opportunity.

“It was really cool that there were scholarships available,” Howes said.

One of his children had previously gone to a sheriff’s camp next door to Camp Long Pond, and came home and told everyone how much fun it was.

“She went again July 5,” Howes said. “We go to Jellystone every summer, so they are used to camping, but this was the first time on their own. Gavin, one of the twins, hesitated on the morning they left, and didn’t know if he wanted to go. Then he said, ‘OK, I’m going.’”

Bethany Zeiner of Medina greeted her son her son Matteo, 7, with open arms and a big hug as he stepped down from the bus. He attended the camp last year and liked Penn Yan, he told his mother.

This was the second year of camping for Wyatt Purnell, 10, of Medina and his brother Levi, 7, said their mother Alexandria. Wyatt’s favorite activities were Gaga ball and 9 Square. Levi also liked Gaga ball and sleeping in a cabin.

“That was really cool,” he said.

Szatkowski was grateful for the community support when he was raising money for the transportation.

“When I was in Hoag Library to sign kids up, people were coming up to me with checks. Community Action also helped, he said.

He stressed the importance of giving to The Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign in Orleans County.

“Those donations all stay in Orleans County and help fund programs like this,” Szatkowski said.

Szatkowski added he hopes more children will take advantage of the camping opportunity next year.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Orleans County, all of Western New York, parts of central New York and goes up to Watertown in northern New York.

The watch is in effect from 10 a.m. today until late tonight. The Weather Service said flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

Scattered to numerous heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected today and tonight, the Weather Service said.

“Locally heavy rainfall is possible with rainfall rates near, or exceeding 2 inches per hour at times,” the Weather Service said. “Repeated rounds of heavy rain over any given location could result in flash flooding.”

Provided photo: Jake “the Snake” Jackson, 17, concentrates on a shot in the World Chinese 8 Ball Stop competition in New York City, where he has advanced to 16 out of more than 130 players.

MEDINA – Seventeen-year-old Jake Jackson, a student at Lyndonville High School and an avid pool player, is in New York City, where he is competing in the World Chinese 8 Ball Stop.

At 4 p.m. on Saturday, his father Roger e-mailed to say Jake had won 9-5 to move into 32nd place out of more than 130 players.

“This puts him in the money and I’m so proud,” said his father. “We all are.”

In another e-mail at 8:35 p.m., Roger reported Jake had advanced to the final 16 out of 130 players, and has an interview scheduled with Joy Heyball who is promoter of the largest billiard tours in the world. It is played with regular 2-1/4” standard American size pool balls, but pockets that are only 3-1.2”.

“This is a very difficult game and takes lots of precision and focus,” Roger said.

Jake will have an interview with Jay before his noon match today. Jake has also been invited to participate in the opening ceremony as speaker of the Athletes’ Oath.

The family expects to return home on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of Danielle Schmidt: Four out of five generations of Beatrice’s Young’s family have been active participants in the Orleans County 4-H Fair.  They gathered here on opening day of the Orleans County 4-H Fair. Front row, from left, are Chantelle Blackburn (4th generation), her daughter Karsyn Blackburn (5th generation), Young (first generation) and Marsha Cook (3rd generation).  In back are 4th generation Hollee Cook and Leigha Kidney, both currently active 4-H members.

KNOWLESVILLE – Beatrice “Bea” Young got a surprise on opening day of the Orleans County 4-H Fair. When she arrived to watch her great-grandchildren show their animals, she learned they were going to take a family picture.

Four generations of Young’s family have been active in 4-H and most were all gathered for the picture. Only the second generation is not represented, as those children all chose to go into scouting, Young said.

Starting with Young, who showed pigs at the fair in the early 1950s, were Chantell Blackburn, Leigha Kidney and Hollee Cook, 4th generation members; Marsha Cook, third generation; and Karsyn Blackburn, 5th generation.

The family’s involvement in 4-H goes back to Young’s youth. She grew up on a farm on County House Road, the former Beatrice Axtell. She had two sisters and a brother Kenneth who was a 4-H leader.

Young and her husband Don had five children and lived on a farm, where they raised a variety of animals. She said 4-H provided a great opportunity for youth to not only learn, but to interact with their friends.

“Kids need a positive way to socialize,” she said.

On Monday morning, Young, 90, drove herself to the fair, expecting to watch the children show their animals.

“Marsha asked me if I wouldn’t like to see what the kids were doing,” Young said.

Cook is a volunteer camping coordinator.

Karsyn showed rabbits, while Hollee showed goats, chickens and rabbits and Leigha showed goats.

Chantelle showed rabbits, chickens, sheep, goats and beef cows.

The youth also had exhibits in the Trolley Building, Cook said.

Not pictured were a 4th generation cousin, Albert and Chantelle’s sister Kendyll, who showed cows, rabbits and goats. She will age out of 4-H this year, Young said.

Photos by Tom Rivers: A crowd gathered in the parking lot by the Education Center to watch a laser light show, which had a patriotic theme for the 250th anniversary of the United States. The laser show replaced fireworks on Friday night.

Daily: Agri-Puppet Farm Truck Strolling the Grounds

All day: Main event amusements $35 unlimited ride wristband with rides open 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. with scheduled closure from 5 to 6 p.m. at Midway

9 to 11 a.m. – 4-H Senior Council Stand breakfast hours  at 4-H Senior Council Stand

8 a.m. – Open Class Llama and Alpaca Show at Livestock Show Arena

9 a.m. – 4-H Gymkhana horse show at Carlos Marcello Arena

10 a.m. – Paid public admission begins at Taylor Hill Road parking lots, buildings open to the public

4-Hers dressed their goats up in costumes for a fun contest on Friday.

10 a.m. – Small Animal Grandmaster Showmanship Competition at Knights Building

10 a.m. – VE testing for ham radio at Education Center

10:30 a.m. – 4-H Fry Stand opens     at Fry Stand

11 a.m. – Public Contest- Register at Event: Paint Wars by the Junior Fair Committee at east end of Swine Barn

11 a.m. – Senior council 4-H food booth hamburgers, hots, and cold drinks at 4-H Senior Council Stand. Proceeds support teen award trips and programs.

11 a.m. – “Iron chef” 4-H youth cooking contest starts at Orleans Hub Stage

12 p.m. – “Iron chef” 4-H youth contest judging at Orleans Hub Stage

12 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Blacksmith demo at Beadle building

Robert Batt, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, gets drenched with a big bucket of cold water from 4-Hers Helen Schofield, left, and Kaylee Lasher, both of Holley. Batt drew a crowd of people who wanted to see him get wet in the dunk challenge on Friday.

1:30 p.m. – Public Contest- Register at Event: Dunk Bucket by the Junior Fair Committee at Tram Stop, featuring Aeddon Cayea, Community Programs leader for Orleans CCE, from 1:30 to 2 p.m. and then Steve Cooley, Medina fire chief, from 2 to 2:30 p.m.

2 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Agri-Puppets the Farming Singing Puppets! at Cattle Barn Lawn

2:30 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Lew-e the Clown- a show full of Magic and Laughs! at Trolley Lawn

4 p.m. – 4-H leaders’ homemade pie stand opens at Davis building

4 p.m. – Large Animal Grandmaster Showmanship at Livestock Show Arena

4 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Agri-Puppets the Farming Singing Puppets! at Cattle Barn Lawn

Bad Kitty performed rock, blues and country music on Friday night at the fair.

4:30 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Pompeyo’s Ranch- As seen on America’s Got Talent! at Knights Lawn

5 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Lew-e the Clown- a show full of Magic and Laughs! at Trolley Lawn

5 to 6 p.m. – Midway closed for dinner break at Midway

6 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Agri-Puppets the Farming Singing Puppets! at Cattle Barn Lawn

6:30 p.m. – Public Contest- Register at Event Dunk Bucket by the Junior Fair Committee at Tram Stop, featuring Bert Mathes, assistant fair manager, form 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Natalia Nauden, 8, of Brockport hit the target and got Kristin McAdoo wet in the dunk challenge. McAdoo, the deputy fire chief for Ridgeway, spent an hour in the cold seat on Friday evening.

6:30 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Pompeyo’s Ranch- As seen on America’s Got Talent! at Knights Lawn

6:30 p.m. – Small fry pedal tractor pull- registration ends 15 minutes before event. Located at JCH of Buffalo Food Court

6:30 p.m. – Bossy Bingo at Livestock Show Arena

7 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Lew-e the Clown- a show full of Magic and Laughs! at Trolley Lawn

7 p.m. – Empire State Wrestling at Orleans Hub Stage

7:30 p.m. – 4-H Herdsmanship, Family Consumer Science, and Royalty Awards at Livestock Arena

There were about 75 classic cars at the fair on Friday for the cruise in.

8 p.m. – Public Contest- Register at Event: Steampunk Costume Contest at JCH of Buffalo Food Court

8 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Agri-Puppets the Farming Singing Puppets! at Cattle Barn Lawn

8:30 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Pompeyo’s Ranch- As seen on America’s Got Talent! at Knights Lawn

9 p.m. – Free Entertainment: Lew-e the Clown- a show full of Magic and Laughs! at Trolley Lawn

10 p.m. – Bale Rolling Contest – teams of 1-2 ages 16 and up at Byron’s Bale Rolling Barnyard. Register at the fair office by 9:20 p.m. Immediately following qualifier, Hay Bale Rolling Contest for winners-only championship round.

10 p.m. Buildings close – goodnight fair        

Some kids enjoy the Flying Elephants midway ride on Friday night at the fair.