Nine breeds in Ohio Beef Expo show ring

MARYSVILLE, Ohio – The 17th annual Ohio Beef Expo is March 19-21 at the Ohio Exposition Center in Columbus.

This year will feature an expanded three-day trade show, seven purebred sales, nine purebred shows, and a junior show.

The expo trade show has been extended into Sunday. More than 85 vendors from 13 states will attend.

Exhibitors represent all segments of the industry, from cattle handling equipment to show supplies.

Youth activities are an on-going focus of the expo.

Steve Boyles, OSU Extension beef specialist, and Allen Gahler, Fairfield County extension agent, have teamed up with the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association to offer youth beef quality assurance at 1:30 p.m. (for 13 and under) and 2:30 p.m. ( 14 and over) on March 20.

All participants will receive documentation of attendance, which will meet quality assurance requirements for the OCA BEST (Beef Exhibitor Show Total) program, the 2004 Ohio State Fair and some Ohio county shows.

Youth judging contest. Youth are encouraged to attend the Beef Expo judging contest, also scheduled for Saturday.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. A registration fee of $5 per individual or $15 per team will be collected. Teams will consist of three or four people. The three highest scores will count for team placing.

Divisions include juniors (ages 8-13), and seniors (14-18).

Team members do not have to be from the same county, club or chapter.

Ambassador competition. The Beef Ambassador Competition, sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council and Ohio CattleWomen, will be held March 21 at 11 a.m., a change from previous years, allowing more juniors to compete.

The Beef Ambassador contest is open to all Ohio youth between 16 and 19 as of Jan. 1, 2004. The competition is designed to encourage youth to become spokespersons on behalf of the beef industry.

All interested youth should contact the Ohio Beef Council prior to the expo to obtain an application and information packet.

For complete details call Sabrina Adams at 614-873-6736 or visit the expo Web site at www.ohiobeefexpo.com.

The showmanship contest is March 20 at 5 p.m.

Sunday’s junior show is a BEST sanctioned event and will feature more than $15,000 paid back to exhibitors in premiums.

Last year’s show featured more than 800 head of cattle.

Benefit sale. The expo junior show committee will host a semen sale to immediately follow the Maine Anjou sale March 20 (approximately 4 p.m.) with proceeds going to junior show premiums.

Lots will feature club calf sires, commercial sires and some of the top bulls from each breed.

Buyers must bring a semen tank to the sale. No semen will be shipped and all purchases must be paid for and transported sale day.

Cattle sales, shows. Purebred cattle are always a focal point on Saturday at the Expo. Seven purebred sales will be held this year providing opportunity for breeders of Simmental, Shorthorn, Angus, Limousin, Maine Anjou, Hereford and Belted Galloway cattle to add quality seedstock to their herds.

Breed shows will precede the sales on Friday and include the breeds listed as well as Piedmontese, Murray Greys and Gelbviehs.

Animal ID forum. The cattlemen’s association will host an animal identification issues forum Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

The free presentation will be held just off the expo’s trade show floor in the Voinovich Building.

Speakers include Susan Skorupski, area veterinarian in charge for Ohio and West Virginia, USDA, APHIS; and Gary Wilson, steering committee member for the U.S. Animal Identification Plan and beef producer from Muskingum County.

Prairie poet. Red Steagall, Poet of the Prairie, will entertain expo visitors Friday at 5 p.m. just off the trade show floor in the Voinovich Building.

Steagall’s credits include recording artist, song writer and television and motion picture personality.