After a bit of a bidding war, Beth Krull won the right to get a kiss from her grandson, 4-H King Charlie Krull. Grandpa Hubert Krull also won the suit.

Text and Photos
By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — One of the highlights, and often the most amusing, of the annual Kosciusko County 4-H Livestock Auction is the 4-H King and Queen Kiss. These cherished kisses have gone to family members, boy friends or girl friends, youngsters of friends and event a pet calf. But this year the King’s Kiss didn’t sell on Friday, July 14.

This year’s 4-H King Charlie Krull, son of Shawn and Lisssa Krull, Milford, stood in front of the auctioneers stand and waited, and waited. No bids came in. Light hearted banter about Krull’s long curly hair blowing in the wind were made as well as the fact it was said he had been practicing for that purchased kiss. Still no bids came in and Krull walked away.

Charlie Krull, 4-H King, holds his suit while Andrew Farrell and Dan Knepper argue over the bidding.

But, he wasn’t walking away because of no bids. He walked behind the auction stand and grabbed the tropical suit and tie he wore the evening he was crowned 4-H King. This tropical blue and white suit with palm trees, water and flamingos began a bidding frenzy.

First his father, Shawn walks up to the stage and offers $1 as he originally purchased the suit. Then Andrew Ferrell takes the mike and bids $100 so he can wear the suit as a show stopper at 4-H meetings. But he was outbid by Dan Knepper, who has known Charlie since he was in mini 4-H, offering $250 so he can where it when they go to Key West.

At this point Knepper was the highest bidder. That is until Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith came up and while admitting he didn’t know what was going on, he said he has been thinking about changing the color of the jail jumpsuits. “Orange is not everyone’s color.” He bid $400. He was outbid by Colton Crabb who needed a suit for the prom and bid $500.

Josh Crabb knows his son doesn’t have that kind of money and bids $600 to buy the suit to use for curtains in the camper for next year’s fair. At this point the auctioneer jumps in and starts the bidding at $650.

Sheriff Jim Smith, right, takes the bid away from Dan Knepper offering $400 to use the suit as a new jail jumpsuit.

But just as the bidding was getting underway Hubert and Beth Krull, Charlie’s grandparents, appear as they thought Charlie was to give his grandmother a kiss. But instead his suit was being auctioned off and they wanted the suit for their other grandsons to wear in the future. “It’s the next family heirloom,” Hubert Krull stated. A bidding war then begins between Hubert and Josh has the bid at $1,000.

Hubert Krull pulls out his wallet and Beth Krull begins to dig around in her purse. Hubert asks Charlie about his crown, which he bought for his coronation. As Charlie goes to get the crown, his grandfather explains his grandson brought his own crown to the coronation and they want to keep it as a heirloom. They add $64.81 to the bid.  They now have the winning bid.

The money from the sale of the suite and crown will go to the goat project. Oh, and his grandmother did get the kiss.

Grandpa Hubert Krull, right, jumps into the bidding after Josh Crabb thought he had purchased the suit.

While the sale of the queen’s kiss was not that dramatic, Reese Rowland’s kiss went for $2,265 with all proceeds going to benefit the Heart of 4-H. Rowland is the daughter of Greg and Kassi Rowland, Warsaw.

The lucky winner of the kiss was her cousin, Everett Fussle, who is named after their great-grandfather, Everett Tom. Everett presented his cousin with a bouquet of flowers before giving her a special kiss.

There was a surprise auction held before going into the 4-H auction. A banner used for over 22 years for the winning barn in the annual Battle of the Barns was being retired. A new design was chosen and will now be given to the winning barn each year. The old banner was auctioned off and raised $3,750 which will go to Heart of 4-H.

Dennis Polk, one of the buyers, announced the banner will remain at the fair and said it should be framed and hung in the show barn.

Livestock Sold

Everett Fussle brings a bouquet of flowers for the 4-H Fair Queen.

The auction highlights the efforts the 4-H’ers put into their livestock projects throughout the year. Each year the sale begins with the Sale of Champions followed by regular livestock club members. The auction is “premium only” where a buyer pays premiums or a cash award in recognition of a 4-H’ers financial investment and hard work.

This year there were 10 champions or reserve champions sold. By the end of the auction there were 236 lots auctioned off.

Here are the auction day results of the sale of champions:

Grand champion dairy market goat, shown by Tanner Studebaker, Peru, son of Joseph and Nancy Studebaker, brought $1,100. He is a fifth-year 4-H’er and a member of the Goat Club. He also had poultry projects.

Grand champion senior milking goat, shown by Logan Schuler, Albion, son of Tyler and Heather Schuler, brought $2,000. This was Schuler’s 10th year and a member of the Goat Club. Schuler also had swine projects.

Wyatt LeCount had the grand champion market chicken, which brought $900. He is the son of Andy and Ashleigh LeCount, Leesburg, and a member of the Milford Helping Hands.

Shayleen Crites grand champion turkey brought $1,285. This was her 10th year in 4-H and is the daughter of Dawn and Shannon Crites, North Webster. She is a member of the Milford Helping Hands.

Everett Fussle gives his cousin Reese Rowland a kiss. The kiss was purchased for $2,265.

The grand champion beef steer was shown by Jaden Moneyheffer, a member of the Claypool Classics. He received $6,600. He is the son of Kayla Leininger and Justin Moneyheffer and is in his sixth year of 4-H. Moneyheffer also had dairy and sheep projects.

Kaleb Kline, Claypool, had the reserve grand champion rabbit meat pen, which brought $2,100. He is the son of Duane and Rickell Kline and a member of the Leesburg Mighty Farmers. He also had poultry and sheep projects.

The grand champion Guernsey, shown by Kylie Evans, brought $1,700 for her efforts. Evans is the daughter of Amy Cockburn Evans and Ronald Evans. She is a member of the Milford Helping Hands and in her ninth year of 4-H.

Isaac Irwin, Sidney, had the grand champion Holstein, which brought $3,325. He is the son of Tracy and Travis Irwin and a member of Sidney Triple S 4-H Club. This is his eighth year in 4-H.

Jared Beer had the grand champion barrow. His sister, Jenna Beer, had the reserve grand champion barrow. The grand champion brought $5,075 and the reserve champion brought $4,250. They are the children of Marc and Jodi Beer, Milford, and members of the Milford Helping Hands. This is the 10th year for Jared Beer and the third year for Jenna Beer.

Not sold at this year’s sale of champions were:

Grand champion ewe shown by Jordyn Leininger; grand champion dairy calf feeder steer, shown by Jace Beer; grand champion dairy senior doe shown by Logan Schuller; grand champion dairy steer shown by Jenna Beer; grand champion heifer shown by Layne Haughee; grand champion market lamb, shown by Landon Bewley; grand champion specialty market goat shown by Jace beer; grand champion specialty senior doe shown by Everly Collett; grand champion specialty junior doe shown by Carter Grady; grand champion gilt shown by Allie Ayers and grand champion market litter shown by Cameron Zimmerman.