A smile crept across Brooklyn Blakeman’s face as the auctioneer announced the bids on her market chicken.

Seven hundred dollars, $750 and finally the sale price of $800.

As the grand champion winner of the market chicken show, Blakeman’s fowl kicked off the Lawrence County 4-H Livestock Small Animal auction Friday evening at the Lawrence County Fair.

Lawrence County Auditor Jason Stephens, Jerry Stephens and Lori and Rob Calloway of ROLO Sand & Gravel bought the bird.

“It’s good,” Blakeman said of the sale price. The youth said she’d probably save half the money for college and spend the rest on clothes for school.

Next to the auction block was reserve champion Brianna Schneider’s market chicken. The chicken was purchased for $750 by Damon Coffman.

“(I bought it) mostly because it’s a pretty chicken — and she’s my granddaughter,” Coffman joked.

Whatever his reason, his granddaughter was happy with the results.

“That’s actually pretty good considering it’s my first and last time taking chickens,” Schneider said, adding that she’ll be in college next year and may not have the time to raise a chicken. The Symmes Valley FFA member is no stranger to 4-H activities, though she had never done the market competition before, she said. She became attached to the animals, she said, so she’s trying not to think about what will happen next to them.

“This has been a fun experience, especially considering

we did not have any chickens (before),” Schneider’s mother, Jeanne Schneider said. “They’re kind of addictive.”

In the tobacco division, grand champion Levi Cade’s plant went for $800 to Ray and Drema Ferrell of R&D Giovanni’s in Aid. Ray Ferrell said the business buys something every year at the auction.

Reserve champion Carleigh Pinkerman sold her tobacco plant for $500 to Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless, Jason Stephens, Jerry Stephens, Lori and Rob Calloway and Upper Township Clerk Tyler Walters.

In the market rabbit portion of the auction, Shelby

Haas, grand champion, sold her rabbit for for $1,450 to Bob Clyse Chevrolet Buick GMC.

“It’s good,” Haas said. This was Haas’s third time with a grand champion, so she was used to high prices for her animals, she said.

“It’s the least (I’ve gotten), but it’s still a lot,” she said.

Tyler Clyse said the business participated in the auction to support the fair.

“It’s a good thing for youth in Lawrence County,” Clyse said.

Drew Redmond, who won reserve champion in the market rabbit show, sold his animal for $1,450 to Lawrence County Farm Bureau and Cooke’s Farm Center.