Grand champion market rabbit sells for $4K

 

ROME TOWNSHIP — Isabelle Carpenter stood with an excited and slightly nervous expression on her face, grasping her grand champion market rabbit.

With the highest bid of $3,000 already in place at the Lawrence County Fair’s 2014 Small Market Animal and Tobacco Sale, Ryan Sells from Cooke’s Farm Center subtly flashed four fingers and Carpenter’s expression went from excited and nervous to just excited.

At $4,000, the rabbit set a record for the highest ever sold at the sale.

Going into the sale, Isabelle admitted, she knew her rabbit could bring lots of money

“I never thought it would sell for that much,” she said. “This is my first year with rabbits; I don’t know if I can top this one.”

Teegan Carpenter’s Reserve Grand Champion Rabbit sold for $1,600 to Guy’s Floor Covering, Lambert Law Office, Lawrence County Commissioner Les Boggs, Worley’s Machine and Fabricating and Lawrence County Commissioner Freddie Hayes Jr.

Hailee Haas’ grand champion market chicken brought in $1,200 from Guy’s Floor Covering, Hayes, Boggs, Lambert Law Office and Rep. Terry Johnson. Haas’ was last year’s reserve grand champion.

This year’s reserve grand champion, Wyatt Thacker, sold his chicken for $1,000 to Stephens and Son Insurance, County Auditor Jason Stephens, Southern States of Huntington, W.Va., and WesBanco.

All chickens sold below $250 were brought up to $250 by Cooke’s Farm Center.

Forrest Humphrey sold his first-place hand of tobacco for $600 and Lane Wilson’s second-place hand sold for $500.

Five hands of tobacco were sold overall and those that sold for less than $500 were brought up to $500 by Cooke’s Farm Center.

All tobacco is burned after the sale.