Bryce Oberlag-Jones expected his grand champion ham to sell at auction for “like, $100.”

Cured until hues of gold, amber and brown transformed the meat into a work of art, the ham drew more attention than he thought. The gavel dropped at $1,300.

The Audrain County Youth Fair wrapped up last week with the 4-H and FFA livestock and meat sale. The auction included 142 different lots, ranging from steers to meat goats, ham, bacon and a lone turkey — which the county commissioners gobbled up for $350.

All told, the event raised more than $169,000 for the organizations.

Buyers were in a generous mood.

Tayler Cope’s grand champion hog raised $2,700. Last year Sophie Fennewald sold her bacon for $700. This year it went for $1,000. Lauryn Robnett’s grand champion steer, a willful 1,240-pound animal, brought in $3,500.

“I’ve shown at fairs since I was eight,” Robnett observed. “That’s the most my steer has ever sold for.”

The grandstands were packed and the auctioneers kept the show moving, from a trio of pies that opened the event to the last slices of bacon.

In the frenzied atmosphere, students found it difficult to track the bidding.

“When you’re in the arena you can’t hear them,” Fennewald said. “Part of you is just hoping you won’t trip.”

Before the auction, showmanship winners from earlier in the week participated in a Master Showman competition – a first for the Audrain County fair.

Students paraded through several rounds, showing both large and small animals. In a test of adaptability, they were not allowed to present their own animals.

“That was an exciting experience,” said Shelby Lewis, who brought a sheep to show but had to work with a hefty steer to open the competition. “I was a little nervous. A big animal is a new degree of difficulty.”

She performed well enough to earn the title of reserve champion in the senior Master Showman event. Fellow Centralia FFA and F&L Hustlers 4-H member Jenna Hasekamp claimed the title.

Hasekamp was the fair’s beef showman champion.

On the intermediate level, Callie Jennings of R-6 FFA and Merry Martins 4-H earned the Master Showman crown. Centralia’s Adam Rhoades picked up reserve champion.

Over six days of judging and fun activities, students showed everything from projects to poultry, dogs, rabbits and farm animals.

“It takes a lot of dedication and time in the barn,” Robnett said of preparation for the fair. “But it’s going to be the one I miss when I age out.”

While chickens, eggs and other items were judged during the fair, only hogs, rabbits, beef cattle, sheep, goats, bacon, ham and the lone turkey went to the auction floor.

There were 27 hogs and 23 in the market beef category, 23 sheep and goats, along with five rabbits. But meats made up the largest part of the auction – 37 bacon and 24 ham.

Although Cope’s hog sold at the auction, she is keeping possession of the animal to compete at the state fair. Then she will turn over the grand champion hog to its new owner.

“It’s sad to see them go,” she said of the animals she has raised over the years. “But it shows the support of family and community.