BROKEN BOW, NE – The Custer County Ag Society held their Winter Ball on Saturday at the Broken Bow Municipal Building. The event serves as an annual opportunity for the group to raise funds to continue maintenance and use of the Custer County Fairgrounds.
Organizers of the event indicated that over 30 tables had been sold, seating over 250 ag supporters in the room for a night of food, bidding, and entertainment.
After a prime rib meal, the live auction began. The first item up for bids: first pick of camper spot at the 2025 Custer County Fair with proceeds to be donated to the family of Chase Christen, who was killed in a UTV accident during the Round Valley fire near Broken Bow in December.
During the bidding, Ag Society Board Vice President Casey Cooksley told KCNI/KBBN that Christen himself would bid on the item at past winter ball evenings, lining up with his love of the county fair and helping his kids and others with their 4-H projects.
Bids quickly eclipsed $1,000 and climbed higher, settling on $1,350. A pointer finger in the air with a spinning motion indicated the buyer wanted it sold again. So the second buy landed on $1,250. A spin of the finger.. it would be sold again. The camper spot choice would be sold four more times with bids coming from all over the room. When the proverbial dust had settled, $5,900 had been raised for the Christen family as a loud round of applause rung out.
Two “Friends of the Fair” awards were given out on Saturday night, to Talon Scott as well as Taylor Heating and Cooling. Both were recognized because they showed no hesitation to help the fairgrounds with discounted electrical and HVAC work on issues when they came up this past year.
Eleven tumblers were sold between the silent auction, live auction, and a raffle to achieve a group of finalists for the Glock 43X compact handgun and the Ruger American Predator Gen2 rifle. After elimination in a traditional draw-from-a-hat, Don Cantrell won the Glock and Travis Schauda won the rifle.
Saturday’s ball ended with the traditional country music sound of The Loose Cannons on stage and chatter about the year ahead throughout the room.
