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Brandon Callis, Oklahoma, evaluated the 192 head of market animals. The top two market beef were auctioned at the Ohio State Fair Sale of Champions on August 5, 2018 at the Celeste Center. Steve R. Rauch Excavation and Demolition was the highest bidder, purchasing the Grand Champion Market Beef Animal for $41,500, exhibited by Caden Jones, Harrod, Ohio. Jones received $22,000, a cap set by the Ohio Expositions Commission. The remaining $19,500 will go to the Youth Reserve Program which provides scholarships, competition awards and support to FFA and 4-H programs, benefitting other youth exhibitors. The Reserve Champion Market Beef Animal, exhibited by Carver Gostomsky, Arcanum, Ohio, was purchased for $20,000 by The Kroger Company. Gostomsky will receive $11,000 with the remainder benefiting the Youth Reserve Program. To date, the Youth Reserve Program has awarded over $3.3 million to more than 40,000 youth exhibitors.
The Ohio Expositions Commission awards scholarships to junior beef exhibitors looking to further their education. This year, three scholarships were awarded to Keri Felumlee, Licking County; Quinton Waits, Fayette County; and Hannah Ziegler, Wyandot County. The scholarships were made possible by the Youth Reserve Program and awarded at the Sale of Champions.
Barry Nowatzke, Indiana, evaluated the breeding heifers over a period of two sessions. The top five animals of the events were as follows:
Breeding Heifers Grand Champion Heifer | Market Animals Grand Champion Market Animal |
Several other youth are recognized throughout the fair for their efforts. In the showmanship competitions, Samantha Wallace, Sandusky County was selected as the Breeding Cattle Supreme Showman for both session 1 and 2. Tyler Michael, Montgomery County was selected as the Market Beef Supreme Showman.
The Outstanding Breeding Beef Exhibitor (O.B.E.) and Outstanding Market Exhibitor (O.M.E.) awards are based on the exhibitor’s combined performance of skillathon, showmanship and class placing. The O.B.E. award recognizes the top three breeding exhibitors from either session before the selection of the champion breeding heifer and champion market animal. The O.M.E. award recognizes an exhibitor in each age division, 9-18, and the top three are announced at the Sale of Champions on the last day of the fair.
Outstanding Breeding Beef Exhibitor 1st Place | Outstanding Market Exhibitor 1st Place |
For complete beef results from the Ohio State Fair, be sure to watch for the Early Fall issue of the Ohio Cattleman.