Top Livestock Honored at 81st Annual Watertown Winter Farm Show

Celebrating champions at the Watertown Winter Farm Show, featuring top cattle like the Supreme Simmental Bull, Hereford Bull, Reserve Supreme Shorthorn Plus Female, and Supreme Shorthorn Female.

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The 2026 Watertown Winter Farm Show concluded its major livestock series this week, showcasing elite genetics and drawing competitive bids from across the region. Organized by the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee, the 81st annual event continued its tradition as a cornerstone for the agricultural community.

Supreme Champions Crowned

The week reached its pinnacle with the selection of the Supreme Champions, representing the best of the best across all participating breeds:

·         Supreme Grand Champion Bull: Lot 8, a Simmental consigned by Kellen Land & Cattle of Madison, MN. It was purchased by Matthew Mohnen of White Lake, SD, for $10,500.

·         Supreme Grand Champion Female: Lot 12, a Shorthorn consigned by Becking Farms of Florence, SD. The heifer was purchased by Ashley Stainbrook of Parker, KS, for $8,000.

·         Reserve Supreme Grand Champion Bull: Lot 19, a Hereford consigned by Neil Farms of Northfield, MN, purchased by Laverne Jerred for $6,250.

·         Reserve Supreme Grand Champion Female: Lot 14, a Shorthorn Plus consigned by VanderWal Livestock of Howard, SD, purchased by Craig Harms of Estelline, SD, for $7,250.

Supreme Champion Simmental Bull showcased at the Watertown Winter Farm Show, with representatives from Kellen Land & Cattle and buyer Matthew Mohnen, sold for $10,500.

Sale Highlights by Breed

The 2026 auction saw robust participation, with the Angus and Charolais breeds seeing particularly high-value individual sales.

Angus

The Angus division was led by the top-selling bull (Lot 16) from Arrow J Cattle of Wolsey, SD, which brought $13,500. In total, 22 bulls averaged $7,693, while five females averaged $5,200.

Charolais

Greg Keppen of Volga, SD, claimed the spotlight in the Charolais ring with the Champion and Top Selling Bull (Lot 2), which sold for $16,500 to Jerime Stout of Kadoka, SD. The division’s two females averaged a strong $6,875.

The Reserve Supreme Champion Hereford Bull, consigned by Neil Farms from Northfield, MN, and purchased by Laverne Jerred for $6,250, is showcased at the Watertown Winter Farm Show, held from February 11-14, 2026.

Simmental & Foundation Simmental

Beyond the Supreme Bull, the Simmental sale featured 15 bulls averaging $6,466 and 18 females averaging $5,519. The Foundation Simmental division saw its top-selling bull (Lot 11) fetch $8,500.

Shorthorn & Shorthorn Plus

The Shorthorn breed showed great depth, with 13 females averaging $5,019. In the Shorthorn Plus category, the top-selling steer brought in $5,500 for Becking Farms.

Supreme Champion Shorthorn Female awarded at the Watertown Winter Farm Show. Consigned by Becking Farms, Florence, SD, and purchased by Ashley Stainbrook, Parker, KS, for $8,000.

Breed Averages at a Glance

Breed	Bull Average	Female Average
Angus	$7,693	$5,200
Charolais	$7,633	$6,875
Simmental	$6,466	$5,519
Hereford	$6,297	$4,500
Foundation Simmental	$6,285	$5,785
Maine-Anjou	$6,000	$4,875
Shorthorn	$4,500	$5,019

Shorthorn Plus Female wins Reserve Supreme Champion at the Watertown Winter Farm Show 2026, consigned by VanderWal Livestock and sold to Craig Harms for $7,250.

The 2026 Watertown Winter Farm Show featured highly competitive sales across all breeds, with the highest individual price of the event reaching $16,500.

Highest-Selling Bulls

Bulls commanded the highest overall prices during the livestock auction, led by the Charolais breed:

·         Charolais: Lot 2, consigned by Greg Keppen (Volga, SD), sold for $16,500.

·         Angus: Lot 16, consigned by Arrow J Cattle (Wolsey, SD), sold for $13,500.

·         Simmental: Lot 19, consigned by Hojer Cattle Company (Miller, SD), sold for $11,500.

·         Hereford: Lot 22, consigned by Klages Herefords (Ortonville, MN), sold for $8,800.

·         Foundation Simmental: Lot 11, consigned by Logan Zemlicka & JP Livestock (Wolsey, SD), sold for $8,500.

·         Maine-Anjou: Lot 4, consigned by Kylie, Kenzy, & Bodie Beare (Estelline, SD), and Lot IX, consigned by Par 5 Cattle Company (Lake City, SD), both sold for $7,000.

·         Shorthorn: Lot 4, consigned by Mathew Van Lith (Milbank, SD), sold for $6,000.

·         Shorthorn Plus: Lot 2, consigned by Craig Shorthorns (Lowry, MN), sold for $5,250.

Highest-Selling Females

The female sales were highlighted by the Simmental and Shorthorn divisions, where top animals neared or exceeded the $10,000 mark:

·         Simmental: Lot 32, consigned by Kylie, Kenzy, & Bodie Beare (Estelline, SD), sold for $9,750.

·         Foundation Simmental: Lot 24, consigned by Thyen Simmentals (Hayti, SD), sold for $8,500.

·         Shorthorn: Lot 12, consigned by Becking Farms (Florence, SD), sold for $8,000.

·         Shorthorn Plus: Lot 14, consigned by VanderWal Livestock (Howard, SD), sold for $7,250.

·         Charolais: Lot 18, consigned by Caulfield Sisters Livestock (Bradley, SD), sold for $7,000.

·         Maine-Anjou: Lot 7, consigned by Dejong Ranch (Kennebec, SD), sold for $6,500.

·         Hereford: Lot 7, consigned by Circle S Ranch (Stewartville, MN), sold for $6,000.

·         Angus: Three animals (Lots 4, 7, and 8) tied for the top price at $5,500.

Top Steer Sales

Specialized steer sales also drew notable bids in the Shorthorn categories:

·         Shorthorn Plus Steer: Lot 32, consigned by Becking Farms (Florence, SD), sold for $5,500.

·         Foundation Simmental Steer: Lot 50, consigned by Justin Stranberg (Newell, SD), sold for $5,100.

·         Shorthorn Steer: Lot 33, consigned by VanderWal Livestock (Howard, SD), sold for $4,750.