Michael Vititow, right, captured Grand Champion in the 2009 Hopkins County Hay Show, while his father,
Larry Vititow, left, won Reserve Champion honors, announced Thursday morning.
Vititow Family Captures Top Hay in
2009 Hopkins County Hay Show
by: Bobby McDonald
County Agricultural Agent Mario Villarino, left, and Brad Johnson, with Northeast Texas
Farmers Coop, discuss the judging techniques used on the samples entered in the 2009 Hay Show.
It was a "family affair" at the 2009 Hopkins County Hay Show, when Michael Vititow captured the Grand Champion honors, with a sample that had a protein value of over 18%, and his father, Larry Vititow, captured the Reserve Grand Champion with his entry. The father-son duo also captured the 4th place entry in the show and the 10th place entry. "It's been a great year for hay production, with plenty of moisture," expressed Michael Vititow, explaining his entry and hay crop. "We've been fortunate to have a relatively good year for production and blessed with plenty of moisture this season.
Other hay production winners in the top ten selection included: Marilyn Smith - 3rd place; Janice Irwin - 5th & 6th; Jim Russell - 7th place; and Don Smith - 8th & 9th place.
Local auctioneer, Wade Bartley, auctioned the top ten samples
for $7,750.00 at Thursday morning's Hay Show, to support
activities of the Hopkins County Ag Workers Organization.
Local businesses then paid $7,750.00 for the top ten samples, in the auction conducted by local auctioneer Wade Bartley. Alliance Bank paid $1000.00 for Vititow's Grand Champion Bale, while City National Bank paid $1000.00 for the Reserve Champion entry. Legacy Ag Credit paid $900.00 for Marilyn Smith's third place entry, and Guaranty Bond Bank paid $700.00 for the Michael Vititow fourth place bale. And, it wa Ag Power Inc. and Feeder's Supply that each purchased the Irwin entries for $800.00. Northeast Texas Farmers Coop purchased the 7th place Russell bale for $800.00 and a Don Smith 9th place entry for $600.00, in the auction. And, Alliance Bank purchased another Smith entry for $600.00, while Feeder's Supply purchased the 10th place Larry Vititow entry for $550.00.
The Professional Ag Workers organization has been hosting the annual Hopkins County Hay Show since 1961, to promote the betterment of forage production in the area, as well as raising funds to promote agricultural scholarships and purchase animals in the Hopkins County Market Show. This year's Ag Workers Scholarship winners included: Glenna Dianne Sparks of Cumby; Ashlea Brown of Dike; and Robert W. Goldsmith of Saltillo.
Winners and buyers.....the Hopkins County Hay show winners gathered with those businessmen who purchased
the winning entries in the 2009 Hay Show auction, on Thursday morning.
The Ag Workers expressed their thanks for all those local businesses that supported the hay auction and the many projects they fund throughout the year!
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