The Ohio State Fair's annual animal auction raised more than $547,000 to help young people in agriculture. The auction took place at the WCOL Celeste Center and set eight new sales records.
At the auction, animals raised by 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) members were sold. These young exhibitors had won top prizes in categories like beef, pork, lamb, chickens, goats, turkey, and Swiss cheese. Overall, $547,500 was collected, with $421,500 going to the Virgil L. Strickler Youth Reserve Program.
A special moment happened when a goat, a reserve grand champion, was sold for $30,000. This was the first time such a high price was paid for a goat at this auction. The buyers included The Kroger Company, Huffman’s Market, Event Marketing Strategies, Faith Driving School, and Talley Amusements.
The biggest amount paid was $100,000 for the grand champion pig, exhibited by Oksana Gossard from Allen County. The buyers were Giant Eagle and Sugardale Bacon.
This auction tradition began in 1968 at the state fair. This year's event was significant as it was the last Sale of Champions for fair general manager Virgil Strickler. He expressed pride in the hardworking young livestock exhibitors and thanked the buyers for their ongoing support.
As a tribute to Virgil Strickler, his name was added to the youth reserve program. Established in 1995, this program rewards junior exhibitors at the Ohio State Fair. Before this year's sale, the program had raised $4,691,150, which will be used for scholarships, market and breeding programs, and other 4-H and FFA activities.
Here are the results of the 2023 Sale of Champions, with * indicating new record sales. The sale price is what the exhibitor gets, and any extra goes to the youth reserve program:
Top Prizes:
*Grand Champion Market Beef:
- Exhibitor: Holden LeVan, Champaign County
- Buyers: Mark and Megan Kvamme and Family
- Price: $80,000
- Cap: $25,000
*Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef:
- Exhibitor: Beckett Winegardner, Allen County
- Buyers: The Kroger Company and Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
- Price: $37,500
- Cap: $18,000
*Grand Champion Market Barrow:
- Exhibitor: Oksana Gossard, Allen County
- Buyers: Giant Eagle and Sugardale Bacon
- Price: $100,000
- Cap: $13,000
*Reserve Grand Champion Market Barrow:
- Exhibitor: Logan Deel, Gallia County
- Buyers: Bob Evans, The Kroger Company, and Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
- Price: $35,000
- Cap: $9,000
*Grand Champion Meat Chickens:
- Exhibitor: Lilly Conrad, Hancock County
- Buyers: The Kroger Company, Gerber Poultry, and Ohio Harness Horseman’s Association
- Price: $40,000
- Cap: $7,000
*Reserve Champion Meat Chickens:
- Exhibitor: Natalie Fitzgerald, Cuyahoga County
- Buyer: Meijer Inc.
- Price: $33,000
- Cap: $5,000
*Grand Champion Market Lamb:
- Exhibitor: Bailee Amstutz, Union County
- Buyers: Expo Services, Concessions by Cox, OKI, Inc, Schmidt’s Sausage Haus, NetSteady, and SP+
- Price: $33,000
- Cap: $13,000
*Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb:
- Exhibitor: Avery Rice, Trumbull County
- Buyers: Mark and Megan Kvamme and Family
- Price: $31,000
- Cap: $9,000
*Grand Champion Market Goat:
- Exhibitor: Braxton Method, Auglaize County
- Buyers: Mark and Megan Kvamme and Family
- Price: $32,000
- Cap: $8,000
*Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat:
- Exhibitor: Ethan Davies, Wood County
- Buyers: The Kroger Company, Tim and Glenda Huffman, Event Marketing Strategies, Faith Driving School, and Talley Amusements
- Price: $30,000
- Cap: $4,000
*Grand Champion Market Turkey:
- Exhibitor: Maria Henderson, Logan County
- Buyers: Mark and Megan Kvamme and Family and Bernie Moreno
- Price: $45,000
- Cap: $6,000
*Grand Champion Swiss Cheese:
- Produced by Pearl Valley Cheese, representing various dairy champions
- Exhibitors: Multiple participants from different counties
*Supreme Showman:
- Week 1: Exhibitor Ruth Bambauer, Auglaize County
- Week 2: Exhibitor Lillian Finke, Madison County
- Buyers: A.G. Boogher & Son, Inc., S&S Volvo, and Turner Green
- Price: $51,000
- Cap: $9,000
Photo Credit: Ohio State Faor
Categories: Ohio, Livestock, Rural Lifestyle