One little turkey that raised almost $2,000 in two wild bidding wars turned out to be the star of the show at the 59th annual Williams Lake and District 4-H Show and Sale.
A lively bidding war ensued when 10-year-old Addyson Cullum of the Chimney Valley 4-H Club brought her 31-pound Orlopp Bronze turkey, Tom, into the show ring at the Williams Lake Stockyards Monday evening.
Roger Gysel, regional manager of Hub International Barton Insurance ultimately won the bid for $29 a pound.
Then somewhere during the sale, Gysel donated Tom to be sold again, this time to raise funds for Williams Lake and District 4-H.
At the very end of the sale Addyson came into the show ring once again with Tom, who is this year’s overall Grand Champion Poultry winner.
This time around, after another flurry of bidding, Cuyler and Jenny Huffman, of 153 Mile Ranch, took Tom home for an upset price of $31 a pound.
Since they raise beef, and like to support 4-H, Jenny said they usually bid on a lamb or pig for their own family. This year they tried for a pig, but there were fewer pigs on offer and they were outbid with swine prices ranging around $7 a pound.
“In the end we were able to purchase a lovely turkey for our family to enjoy,” Jenny said. She said they have never had to transport a turkey before but Tom is now at their home where he is being cared for by their three children until he is ready for eating.
Throughout the night she said bidding was strong on all of the 4-H projects on offer.
“4-H is a great opportunity to learn responsibility and bond with an animal that can take three to nine months to raise,” Jenny said. “It was great to see such lovely support from local buyers given the circumstances of the summer and wildfire evacuations. The support was truly appreciated.”
Gysel said he was impressed that Addyson came to his office on Tuesday to personally thank him for purchasing her turkey and donating him to raise funds for the district 4-H.
“It was fun and for a great cause,” Gysel said of the bidding war that won him Tom. “Hub Barton has always been one of the standing corporate buyers supporting 4-H over the years and little Addyson did a good job so it was our pleasure to donate her turkey back to the district 4-H.”
Letting go of Tom at the end of the night wasn’t easy for Addyson or her family.
“It was really hard to say goodbye to him,” Addyson said. “No other turkey is going to be as good as Tom because he was my first one.”
Tears were shed, as is the case for many young 4-H members who develop a close bond with the animals they raise.
“We were all crying,” said Addyson’s mom Amandah, “It is emotional for sure.”
Addyson said she bought Tom from Rochester Hatchery through Beaver Valley Feeds.
“We tried to buy locally but there weren’t any turkeys ready,” Addyson said.
All of her hard work put into raising Tom won Addyson the ribbons for Grand Champion Poultry, Best Groomed Poultry, Grand Champion Jr. Poultry Showman, First in Unit 4 Poultry, and First in Jr. Poultry Judging.
After paying the fees for the auctioneer and other expenses for the sale Addyson said she received a cheque for $848.54.
“I also have to pay my mom and dad back $181,” she added.
This is her share of the cost of tools, feed, bedding, and materials for building the coup for Tom and the five other turkeys the family is raising for themselves.
This is Addyson’s first year in 4-H and the whole family learned a lot helping to raise Tom and the five other turkeys the family is raising for themselves.
Amanda gives full marks to club leader Kyla Roorda for showing the poultry group all the ins and outs of raising and showing a turkey: how to feed them, bathe them, clip their claws, walk them for showing, house them, keep records and other skills.
“Kyla was absolutely amazing with her leadership and dedication,” Amandah said. “We didn’t know anything about raising turkeys.”
While it may be tough to sell an animal they raise with such great care, she said the members learn as they go that the animals they raise have an amazing life and in the end the honour of giving back to their buyers as food.
The sale of Tom turkey exemplifies the unwavering community support for agriculture in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, despite the fact that many young 4-H members could not make it to the show and sale because of the wildfires that have been raging through much of the rural areas of the region this summer.
Addyson and her family were extremely pleased with the support shown by the community for all of the 4-H members who were able to bring their projects to the sale.
“The community support for the 4-H kids this year was just overwhelming,” Amandah said.
Auctioneer Wilf Smith concurred that the sale prices overall showed great support for 4-H.
“It was a real great sale for the kids,” Smith said. “The bidding was strong. Year after year we have great support for 4-H in the Cariboo regardless of what happens.”