Published: March 09, 2009 11:04 pm         

Auctioneer has been working area sales for nearly 40 years

Anyone who has been to livestock auctions probably has recognized a certain fixture at the 75th annual Northwest District Junior Livestock Show premium sale auction Monday evening.

Auctioneer Preston Roberts has been a recognizable figure at area auctions for quite some time now.

“Pretty close to 40 years,” he said.

Now it’s time for Roberts to say goodbye to the auction business.

Maybe.

“I’m not 100 percent,” Roberts said. “It’s getting pretty close though.”

Roberts was asked to auction of the grand champion steer Monday evening in honor of his work in many livestock auctions past.

“Since this is the last grand I’ll sell, he looks like a pretty good one,” Roberts said of Garrett Sharp’s grand champion steer.

But if Roberts decides he wants to come back next year, there will be no complaints.

“On behalf of the ag community in here ... he’s welcome back in this box any time he wants,” said Don Roberts, assistant general superintendent of show.

Preston Roberts still remembers when he decided to become an auctioneer.

“I went to an auction and I was impressed, in Waukomis,” he said. “And I went to auction school in Kansas City, Mo.”

It is a little hard to think about never being in the auction box again.

“I would miss it,” Roberts said. “It’s just kind of a fun hobby.”

Once he retires from the auction business, Roberts said he still will attend auctions, maybe do a little bit of fishing and spend time with his granddaughter.

“She’s probably the pride of my life,” Roberts said.

The grand champion steer, a Simmental exhibited by Sharp, of Waukomis, led off the auction and sold for $12,000.

When the auction was over, the grand total of the night was $116,050, down from last year’s premium sale total of $127,850.

“The premium sale really encourages these kids to further their projects,” said Lisa Donaldson, Northwest District Junior Livestock Show superintendent. “A lot of these kids use this money for college. They are learning life skills and earning money.”

Each year the show brings more than 1,000 exhibitors and more than 2,000 head of livestock.

This year’s exhibitors and livestock numbers ran about average, Donaldson said.

“It’s about the same this year,” she said. “We had a few more goats.”

Donaldson said there tends to be certain trends and the past few years goats have been very popular.

“The kids really enjoy raising them,” Donaldson said.

Each year before the premium sale, there is an awards show. This year’s award winners were: Enid News & Eagle Award 4-H, Ashley Fuksa, of Hennessey; News & Eagle FFA Award, McKenzie Clifton, of Kingfisher and Kela Kelln, of Fairview; 4-H Judging Contest Junior Team, Riley Hess, Joby Allen, Jillian Whipple and Kory Dietz; High Individual Junior Division, Brandon Schovanec; 4-H Senior Team, Garrett Goodwin, Rachael Smith and Kacy Kincaid; High Individual Senior Division, Jessica Miller; FFA Judging Contest Junior Team, Tanner Miller, Austin Kindashe and Mickala Gorell; FFA Senior Team, McKensie Walta, Josh Lippolt, McKenzie Clifton and Audrey Gruntmeyer; High Individual Senior, Kyle Johnson; Lamb Lead Junior Division Champion, Nicole Unruh, of Alfalfa County; Lamb Lead Junior Division Reserve Champion, Brooke Wessall, of Noble County; Lamb Lead Senior Division Champion, Kayla Lyons, of Noble County; Mike Witt Traveling Trophy, Kyle Wheatly, of Morrison; Henry Moehle Traveling Trophy, Tara Burchfield, of Fairview; Benda Family Memorial Trophy, Garrett Sharp, of Waukomis; KOFM News Reporting, first place, Jessica Chantnacran, of Canton, second place, Garrett Starks, of Cherokee, and third place, Ethan Wharton, of Cherokee; KOFM Photography, first place, Hayley Pitts, of Cimarron, Jessica Chantnacran, of Canton, and Michelle Helm, of Geary.