BROOKINGS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The 28th annual Lamb Bonanza is this Saturday at Frost Arena at South Dakota State University.
It’s all lamb all the time before and during the men’s and women’s basketball games to promote one of South Dakota’s top ag industries. They’ll have lamb sandwichs and lamb meatballs, and for those who have never tried the meat before, free lamb samples.
But the centerpiece of Lamb Bonanza is the auction of specially made blue-and-yellow lamb pelts. SDSU Sheep Specialist, Dr. Jeff Held says it’s a real auction on the court at half time of the men’s game, with the thousands in attendance bidding on the pelts. The money goes toward scholarships.
Held says the wooly pelts don’t go cheap.
“We started out years ago averaging $200 a pelt on six pelts and last year those pelts averaged a bit over $1,500.”
Held says the sheep industry is well and strong in South Dakota. He says the state ranks number five in most of the categories, nationally.
