Purple ribbon champion

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The pressure was on for Grace
Arthur of Owatonna at this year’s
Minnesota 4-H Livestock Auction.
Two of Arthur’s siblings, Riley and Lauren, have already earned purple ribbon champions in the past at the Minnesota State Fair. It was now Grace’s turn. And she didn’t dis- appoint anyone as she walked away with the grand champion market sheep at this year’s State Fair, quali- fying her for the auction.
“It’s kind of like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Grace Ar- thur said after earning a spot in the auction that features only champi- ons and purple ribbon winners. “It’s nice to know all three of us got it.”
Arthur sold her purple ribbon champion to the Minnesota Farm- er’s Union for $9,250, which is a record. The previous record was, ironically enough, set by Arthur’s sister, Lauren, last year for $8,300.
The elite group of animals at
the auction featured Arthur as one of seven grand champions and six reserve champions. There were also dozens of other purple ribbon animals sold during the auction.
Total sales topped $750,000, which is a record for the auction, according to Brad Rugg of the Minnesota 4-H program. This was the 40th year of
the state auction.
Arthur has been in the auction
two other times in recent years, but this was the first time as a cham- pion. “I didn’t think I would win state,” said Arthur, who is a junior at Owatonna High School. “I’m really happy that my hard work has paid off,” she added.
After her animal was sold in the auction, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz congratulated her and took
a picture with her and the buyers. “That was really cool,” Arthur said of meeting the governor.
Lauren Arthur said she was excited
for her little sister doing so well in the auction. “It completes the trio,” she said of the three siblings obtaining champions over the past few years. “I definitely wanted her to win.”
Grace Arthur explained that her family has a “big process” that they go through each year to prepare for competition at both the county fair and state fair. “We worked our ani- mals almost every day since school got out,” Arthur said. She said a lot of focus is placed on exercising them by walking the animals around
the yard and washing their legs. She had six lambs to take care of throughout the summer.
Asked what she will do with her earnings from the auction, Arthur said she planned to put them into her college fund. She doesn’t know what she wants to do when she graduates in a couple years.
Besides showing in 4-H compe-
tition, Arthur is a camp counselor and serves on the Junior Fair Board for Steele County. In school, she plays lacrosse and orchestra. She
is also a member of the National
Honor Society.
Looking back on her 10 years in
4-H, Arthur says it has been a great learning experience for her. “It has taught me a lot of life lessons and friendships,” she said. “Things you can’t learn in the classroom.”
Arthur is the daughter of Bill and
Vicki Arthur. She is a member of the
Meriden Meadowlarks 4-H Club.

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