CEDARBURG, Wis. — Inside a small building at the county fairgrounds, the annual cattle auction serves as one of the centerpieces of the fair weekend.
For 57 years, the Rathke family has been running one of the oldest cattle auctions in the area at the Ozaukee County Fair in Cedarburg.
Jessie Schoessow is the latest in her family to hold the auctioneer’s microphone. As a kid, she was one of the exhibitors who showed livestock at the auction. She says participating in the tradition connects her to previous generations.
Watch: Four generations of family keep Ozaukee County Fair cattle auction tradition alive
“You gotta be really straight with your numbers, and also be very clear,” Schoessow said of being an auctioneer. “It’s cool to compare — like we get to do the same things our grandparents did and our parents did, and our siblings.”
The auction brings together kids from across Ozaukee County and beyond, who present their swine, sheep and cattle to potential buyers.
Many of the participating children are part of local 4-H programs, and the auction provides them with valuable experience in livestock farming and agriculture, while also earning hundreds to put toward a college fund.
“They work hard all summer long, and it's a big payday at the end, but a lot of them put it toward their future goals and ambitions,” Schoessow said.
Richard Rathke is Schoessow's grandfather and the founder of this local tradition.
“I was here at the first auction, and I'm still here yet, the good Lord willing,” Rathke said. “(It's) a lot closer to have buyers come from the county than having them go all the way up to Green Bay or Madison,” Rathke said.
The entire Rathke family donates their time to help run the auction. This year, Richard's 6-year-old great-granddaughter is exhibiting.
The Ozaukee County Fair runs until Sunday.
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