WEST ALLIS - Prices fell by about 12 percent at the Governor's Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction Aug. 12 at the Wisconsin State Fair.

The 27 junior market steers, barrows and lambs sold for $110,750, down from $126,700 for the 26 animals sold last year. A record high was set in 2005, when 29 animals sold for $255,400.

Fair officials said before the auction that they were concerned sale prices would be lower because of the depressed economy.

Five of the six overall and reserve champion steers, wethers and barrows that brought high dollar amounts in recent years sold for less than last year and all sold for significantly less than record amounts. The grand champion barrow, exhibited by Jordan Tibbits of Mineral Point, sold for $11,000, the same as the champion barrow sold for last year.

Iowa County youths exhibited eight of the 27 sale animals.

The auction pay structure - which was new last year - is a sliding percentage scale based on the amount of the auction sale price.

The percentage retained for scholarships, grants and auction expenses varies from 20 percent for animals that sell for $5,000 or less to 40 percent for animals that sell for $50,000 or more. The percentage increases by 2 percent increments for each $5,000 of auction sale price.

The grand champion steer - generally the highest-selling animal of the species champions - sold for $15,000 to Kenosha Beef International. Brock May of Mineral Point exhibited the champion steer for the third consecutive year. The record grand champion steer price of $59,000 was set in 2006.

The reserve champion steer, exhibited by Colton Sullivan of Barneveld, sold for $6,500 to a syndicate of three buyers. The reserve champion steer sold for $9,000 in 2008 and the record of $30,000 was set in 2006.

Tibbits' grand champion barrow sold for $11,000 to a syndicate of nine buyers. The price was the same as in 2008 but less than half of the record $23,000 paid in 2001.

The reserve champion barrow, exhibited by Tyler Tonkin of Mineral Point, sold to Wal-Mart for $6,000. Last year's reserve champion hog sold for $6,500.

The grand and reserve champion market lambs were exhibited by Danielle Wittmann of New Glarus. The champion sold for $5,000 to MillerCoors while the reserve champion sold for $2,000 to a syndicate of five buyers. The champion sold for $8,500 last year and the reserve sold for $5,000.

Other animals that sold in the auction, listed by exhibitor, county, sale price and buyer, were as follows:

- Champion any-other-breed steer, Lacey Poad, Richland County, $6,500, Coca-Cola.

- Champion Yorkshire barrow, Kaitlin Duhigg, Walworth County, $3,000, syndicate.

- Champion natural colored wether, Jacob Johnson, Iowa County, $1,250, syndicate.

- Champion Chianina steer, Brock May, Mineral Point, $4,750, Kevin Schmitt Siding.

- Champion Hampshire barrow, Anna Schiferl, Dane County, $2,750, Imperial Parking and Firewagon Racing.

- Champion Hampshire lamb, Amber Brown, Rock County, $1,300, MillerCoors.

- Champion Angus steer, Tom Keene, Grant County, $4,800, Wisconsin Souvenir Milk Caps.

- Champion Duroc barrow, Noah Morris, Rock County, $3,000, syndicate.

- Champion any-other-breed wether, Justeen Ace, Dane County, $1,000, State Rep. Scott Gunderson.

- Champion Shorthorn steer, Hope Schlimgen, Dane County, $3,750, Anheuser-Busch.

- Champion Chester White barrow, Dessa Morris, Rock County, $3,750, syndicate.

- Champion Dorset lamb, Kayla Greenwood, Iowa County, $1,500, MillerCoors.

- Champion Hereford steer, Joshua Hermsdorf, Dane County, $3,750, Imperial Parking and Firewagon Racing.

- Champion Berkshire barrow, Sarah Myhre, Rock County, $2,400, Coca-Cola.

- Champion Southdown lamb, Ryan Bingen, Washington County, $1,250, Wisconsin State Fair Park board of directors.

- Champion registered dairy steer, Matthew Leix, Iowa County, $5,000, American Foods Group.

- Champion Spotted barrow, Ellen Kiser, Green County, $3,000, Spring Grove Dairy.

- Champion Landrace barrow, Michael Zweifel, Green County, $3,000, Budweiser Pavilion.

- Champion Poland China barrow, Brittany Schoenbeck, Walworth County, $4,900, Walworth County Youth Consortium.

- Champion Tamworth barrow, Melanie Eck, Jefferson County, $2,500, syndicate.

- Champion Hereford barrow, Jamie Brown, Dane County, $2,100, syndicate.

Jim Massey can be reached at 608-574-8011 or jimmassey@mhtc.net.