The Governor’s Blue Ribbon Meat Products Auction at the Wisconsin State Fair celebrated its 26th year in 2017. In total, this year’s auction raised more than $130,000. Proceeds from the auction benefit the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation, which supports Wisconsin 4-H activities including conferences, teaching materials and workshops, and overall development of 4-H youth.

Gov. Scott Walker hosted the auction with Master of Ceremonies Bob Meyer, an ag loan officer with Citizens State Bank of Loyal. Auctioneers for the evening were Bob Johnson, Milton; Gary Finley, Walworth; and David Allen, Cross Plains, the 2017 champion of the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association state competition. In addition, serving as the auction’s ringmen were Ben Brancel, former Wisconsin secretary of agriculture; Scott Gunderson; Heidi Miller, 2017 Wisconsin champion ringman; Tim Miller, 2011 Wisconsin champion ringman; Rodney Freymiller, 2010 Wisconsin champion ringman; Scott Werlein, 2009 Wisconsin champion auctioneer; Wayne Yoder, 2008 Wisconsin champion auctioneer; Tim Slack, Wisconsin Auctioneers Association past president, WAA Hall of Fame and 2004 Wisconsin champion auctioneer; and Dave Koning.

Among those attending the auction were: Kathleen O’Leary, chief executive officer of Wisconsin State Fair Park; Ray Cross, president of the University of Wisconsin System; Kathleen Sandeen, chancellor of UW-Extension; and many supporters of 4-H.

The 2017 Best of Show Award went to processor Wyttenbach Meats of Prairie du Sac. The company earned the honor for its ultimate bacon. It sold to Pagel’s Ponderosa, Ron’s Wisconsin Cheese and John T. Pagel for $16,000. It was generously donated back and resold to Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps for $6,000.

The grand champion, first reserve champion and second reserve champion winners for each of the categories are:

Flavored Bacon
• Grand champion: Wyttenbach Meats, Prairie du Sac; buyer: Salm Partners for $10,000
• First reserve champion: Julius Falkavage LLC/People’s Meat Market, Stevens Point; buyer: Klements Sausage for $2,750
• Second reserve champion: Karl’s Country Market, Menomonee Falls, buyer: Wells Fargo for $3,000

Bone-in Ham
• Grand champion: Louie’s Finer Meats, Cumberland; buyer: Riteway Bus Co., Cousin’s Subs, Saz’s, LeRoy Haeuser Rural Mutual Insurance, Rural Mutual Insurance, Boehlke Bottle Gas for $8,100 (record)
• First reserve champion: Sailer’s Food Market and Meat, Elmwood; buyer: Meijer for $5,000; donated back and resold to Hartmann Sand and Gravel for $2,500
• Second reserve champion: The Meat Block LLC, Greenville; buyer: Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps for $2,500

Flavored Summer Sausage
• Grand champion: Haen Meat Packing Inc., Kaukauna; buyer: Cooperative Resources International (CRI) for $3,000
• First reserve champion: Eden Meat Market, Eden; buyer: Schenck for $3,000
• Second reserve champion: Maplewood Meats, Green Bay; buyer: Rural Mutual Insurance and Wisconsin Farm Bureau for $2,500

Dried or Smoked Beef
• Grand champion: Louie’s Finer Meats, Cumberland; buyer: Jim Reid for $2,500 
• First reserve champion: Maplewood Meats, Green Bay; buyer: Country Fresh Meats for $2,000; donated back and resold to Meijer for $1,200; donated back a second time and resold to Daluge Travel — Rick and Peggy Daluge for $500
• Second reserve champion: Wyttenbach Meats, Prairie du Sac; buyer: Randy Schopen Foundation for $1,600

Traditional Snack Sausages
• Grand champion: Lake Geneva Country Meats, Lake Geneva; buyer: Merwin Farms for $5,000 (record)
• First reserve champion: Haen Meat Packing, Kaukauna; buyer: Bob and Jill Nieskes for $2,000
• Second reserve champion: Harry Hansen Meat Service, Franksville; buyer: Racine County Fair for $1,750

Specialty Cooked Bratwurst
• Grand champion: Louie’s Finer Meats, Cumberland; buyer: Country Fresh Meats for $2,000; donated back and resold to Crane Farms for $1,000
• First reserve champion: Leroy Meats, Horicon; buyer: Recognition Specialists for $800
• Second reserve champion: Haen Meat Packing, Kaukauna; buyer: Schenck SC for $1,000

Whole Muscle Jerky
• Grand champion: Eden Meat Market, Eden; buyer: Gibbsville Implement for $1,500
• First reserve champion: Northwoods Locker, Clayton; buyer: J&S Machine Inc. for $1,300
• Second reserve champion: Lake Geneva Country Meats, Lake Geneva; buyer: Town Bank for $3,100

Cured Specialty Meat Product
• Grand champion: Wyttenbach Meats (ultimate bacon), Prairie du Sac; buyer: Country Fresh Meats for $2,000; donated back and resold to Dave and Kim Daniels and Rural Mutual Insurance for $1,000
• First reserve champion: Louie’s Finer Meats, Cumberland; buyer: Daluge Travel — Rick and Peggy Daluge for $1,250
• Second reserve champion: Kewaskum Frozen Foods, Kewaskum; buyer: Egg Innovations for $1,500

Kielbasa or Smoked Sausage
• Grand champion: Geiss Meat Service, Merrill; buyer: Country Fresh Meats for $2,000
• First reserve champion: Lake Geneva Country Meats, Lake Geneva; buyer: Hull Farms and Bill Thompson for $4,000
• Second reserve champion: Louie’s Finer Meats, Cumberland; buyer: Country Fresh Meats, Meijer, Egg Innovations, Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps for $5,000

Two other items were auctioned off benefiting the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation and Wisconsin 4-H youth. A Wisconsin package — including a Wisconsin-shaped summer sausage courtesy of Kewaskum Frozen Foods of Kewaskum and cheese donated by the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board — was purchased by Hartmann Sand and Gravel for $1,600.

A 5-foot party board that included six flavors of summer sausage, six flavors of snack sausages and a variety of Wisconsin cheeses, provided by Brandon Meats and Sausage of Brandon, was purchased by Wells Fargo for $1,700.

Throughout the day of the sale, various Wisconsin State Fair vendors donated a portion of their sales to the Meat Products Auction and Wisconsin 4-H Foundation. In total, over $5,000 was donated by these vendors.

Source: Wisconsin 4-H