COLUMBUS (8-8-22) – For the first time in its history, the Ohio State Fair Sale of Champions livestock auction, held this afternoon in the WCOL Celeste Center, shattered historical records, totaling $676,500. Over half of a million dollars will be donated from the Sale to the Youth Reserve Program.

The Sale of Champions showcased Ohio’s premium livestock, junior fair exhibitors, and generous supporters. The sale bill included grand and reserve champion market beef, market barrows, market chickens, and market lambs, as well as the grand champion market goat, market turkey and a block of Swiss cheese to represent the seven dairy champions. In full, the livestock was auctioned for a total of $676,500.

Ohio State Fair General Manager Virgil Strickler

“I don’t have the words to properly express how grateful I am for this fairtastic, record-breaking Sale of Champions. I am so proud of the junior fair livestock exhibitors and their hard work and dedication they show the livestock, and will be eternally grateful for the support of our buyers.”

While these junior fair exhibitors take great pride in raising quality animals, the ultimate goal each year is to be selected as the grand champion premium option. Grand and reserve champion are both immense honors for exhibitors; and with the Youth Reserve Program and generous buyers, it is rewarding for the entire Junior Fair program as a whole. This year’s sale broke all eleven records: grand and reserve champion market beef, grand and reserve champion market barrow, grand and reserve champion market lamb, grand champion market goat, grand and reserve champion pen of meat chickens, grand champion market turkey, and grand champion Swiss cheese.

Strickler said –

“These young people represent the core values of agriculture in our great state of Ohio. I am extremely grateful to the many generous buyers who support the current champions as well as the bright futures of the young exhibitors involved in our junior livestock show, as well as other youth including the All-Ohio State Fair Band and Youth Choir, art competitors, Junior Fair Board members, and others.”

Another historic first from the 2022 Sale of Champions; the Grand Champion Market Beef shown by Ryleigh Egbert from Auglaize County sold for $225,000 beating the previous record from 2011 of $85,000 by $140,000. This is the highest bid on any animal ever since the Sale of Champions began in 1968.

Established in 1995, the Youth Reserve Program was developed to reward junior exhibitors participating in the Ohio State Fair. The 2022 Sale of Champions will donate $588,000 to enrich Ohio youth.

Funds for the program are made up of the dollars received over the caps that are placed on the amount exhibitors can receive from the Sale of Champions. The funds from the program are distributed among carcass contests, more than 20 scholarships, outstanding market exhibitor programs, outstanding breeding exhibitor programs, showmanship contests, skillathons, and many other 4-H and FFA activities. Prior to today’s sale, the Youth Reserve Program had collected $4,103,150 since its inception, supporting more than 44,000 youth.

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