MARYSVILLE, Ohio — The Ohio State Fair is the summer’s highlight for many youth livestock exhibitors, and this summer was no exception for Ohio’s youth who won top honors at the Ohio State Fair, July 24-August 4.
Amanda Schnoor, California, lead judge and Scott Bush, South Dakota, associate judge, evaluated the 195 head of market animals. The top two market beef were auctioned at the Ohio State Fair Sale of Champions on August 4, 2019 at the Celeste Center. Steve R. Rauch Excavation and Demolition was the highest bidder, purchasing the Grand Champion Market Beef Animal for $50,000, exhibited by Elizabeth Heintz, Hardin County. Heintz received $22,000, a cap set by the Ohio Expositions Commission. The remaining $28,000 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 Delaney Jones, Allen County, Ohio, was purchased for a record setting $56,000 by Steve R. Rauch Excavation and Demolition, Mark Kvamme and family and Meijer. Jones will receive $11,000 with the remainder benefiting the Youth Reserve Program. To date, the Youth Reserve Program has awarded over $3.5 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 Caroline Blay, Portage County; Alana Hesler, Adams County; and Abbygail Pitstick, Madison County. The scholarships were made possible by the Youth Reserve Program and awarded at the Sale of Champions.
Jeff Dameron, Illinois, and Chris Cassady, Iowa, 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
Kathy Lehman – Richland County
Champion All Other Breeds
Parents: Angie and the late Gary
Reserve Grand Champion Heifer
McKala Grauel – Hardin County
Champion Shorthorn
Parents: Shane and Penny McCafferty
Third Overall Heifer
Addie Shaffer – Lake County
Champion Chianina
Parents: Katie Shanahan and Keith Shaffer
Fourth Overall Heifer
Kathy Lehman – Richland County
Champion Percentage Simmental
Parents: Angie and the late Gary
Fifth Overall Heifer
Margaret Davis – Gallia County
Champion Angus
Parents: Jon and Melissa
Market Animals
Grand Champion Market Animal
Elizabeth Heintz – Hardin County
Champion Maine-Anjou
Parents: Christopher and Michelle
Reserve Grand Champion Market Animal
Delaney Jones – Allen County
Champion Div. 3 Crossbred
Parents: Troy and Sara
Third Overall Market Animal
Frani LeVan – Champaign County
Champion Div. 2 Crossbred
Parents: Louis and Melissa
Fourth Overall Market Animal
Elizabeth Heintz – Hardin County
Champion Chianina
Parents: Christopher and Michelle
Fifth Overall Market Animal
Cole Wharton – Wayne County
Res. Champion Div. 2 Crossbred
Parents: John and Jodi
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 session 1 and Hudson Drake, Ross County was selected as the Breeding Cattle Supreme Showman for session 2. Caroline Blay, Portage 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
1stPlace
Carly Sanders – Highland County
Age: 11
2ndPlace
Sydney Sanders – Highland County
Age: 13
3rdPlace
Dawson Osborn – Highland County
Age: 15
Outstanding Market Exhibitor
1stPlace
Alex Linder – Ashland County
Age: 16
2ndPlace
Sydney Sanders – Highland County
Age: 13
3rdPlace
Allison Davis – Carroll County
Age: 17
For complete beef results from the Ohio State Fair, be sure to watch for the Early Fall issue of the Ohio Cattleman.
— Ohio Cattlemen’s Association
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