Mindy Trede-Campfield, Expo director, said attendance was down a little on the day of the storm but people "were wonderful about coming out and supporting the Iowa Beef Expo."

With the Internet auctions that were implemented in 2006, people could buy cattle even if they couldn't make it to Des Moines.

"We sold 30 head over the Internet and 200 people have been viewing auctions on-line," Trede-Campfield said.

The big talk at the Expo centered on Windridge Leggs 2000, a Shorthorn bull that sold for $26,000, and SL Straight Edge, a Limousin bull that sold for $20,000.

The Shorthorn was consigned by Windridge Shorthorns of Plattsmouth, Neb., and the Limousin was consigned by Straight Limousin of Logan.

There were 914 sale cattle entered for this year's Expo with 1,291 entries for the weekend's Junior Show. It's one of the largest junior shows in the nation.

Trede-Campfield said about 17,000 visitors attended the week-long event, which is sponsored by the Iowa Beef Breeds Council.

Tom and Cora Lynch of Heartland Cattle Company, New Hampton, were honored as Iowa's Seedstock Producer of the Year.

The top-selling Simmental bull was JS Sampson. Dennis Brady, Eagle Grove, paid $6,700 for the bull consigned by Jass Simmentals of Garner.

In the Charolais Show, the grand champion bull was WF Impressive 636 shown by Daniel Wakefield, New Richland, Minn. Also the top-selling bull, WF Impressive sold for $7,700 to Stortz Farms, Waukon. Reserve champion female, NGC Julias Dream 614S, was shown by North Grove Charolais of Grove City, Minn.

Source: Agri News