Ohio Cattlemen’s Association: BEST Program concludes a successful year

MARYSVILLE, Ohio — The 2013-2014 Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) BEST (Beef Exhibitor Show Total) Program wrapped up May 10 with its annual awards banquet held at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.

This year’s BEST program featured 17 sanctioned shows that weaved its way across the state with 380 youth participants showing 537 head of market animals and heifers.

Youth Scholarships

BEST participants efforts in academics and extracurricular activities are also recognized through the BEST Scholarship program, awarding three

$1,000 scholarships

Scholarship winners were Logan Browne, Wood County; Tori Walker, Highland County; and Demi Snider, Hardin County. Janel Gilbert, Darke County, was presented the first BEST/Bob Evans Scholarship in the amount of $250.
Heifer and market animal champions

Breed division champions

Angus

Champion Angus heifer; Lydia Dance, Highland County;
Reserve champion Angus heifer; Lydia Dance, Highland County;
Champion Angus steer; Rylee Closser, Licking County;
Reserve champion Angus steer; Sydney Sanders, Highland County;

Chianina

Champion Chianina heifer; Allison King, Seneca County;
Reserve champion Chianina heifer; Jessica Griffith, Brown County;
Champion Chianina steer; Brooke Egbert, Auglaize County;
Reserve champion Chianina steer; Noah Cox, Athens County;

Hereford

Champion Hereford heifer; Lindsey Pugh, Stark County;
Reserve champion Hereford heifer; Taelor Cox, Champaign County;
Champion Hereford steer; Maverick Pugh, Stark County;
Reserve champion Hereford steer; Drew Weymouth, Clark County;

Maine-Anjou

Champion High % Maine-Anjou heifer; Austin Hunker, Huron County;
Reserve champion High % Maine-Anjou heifer; Kathy Lehman, Richland County;
Champion MaineTainer heifer; Janel Gilbert, Darke County;
Reserve champion MaineTainer heifer; Cameron Alexander, Clinton County;
Champion Maine-Anjou steer; Taylor Darner, Butler County;
Reserve champion Maine-Anjou steer; Jed Anderson, Meigs County;

Shorthorn

Champion Shorthorn heifer; Emily Dahse, Gallia County;
Reserve champion Shorthorn heifer; Ben Harner, Greene County;
Champion Shorthorn steer; Melissa Shafer, Perry County;
Reserve champion Shorthorn steer; Whitney Miller, Holmes County;
Champion ShorthornPlus heifer; Abbie Collins, Montgomery County;
Reserve champion ShorthornPlus Heifer; Kathy Lehman, Richland County;
Champion ShorthornPlus steer; Caitlin Gallagher, Lorain County;
Reserve champion ShorthornPlus steer; Reily Jacobs-Bell, Muskingum County;

Simmental

Champion Simmental heifer; Rachel Dickson, Licking County;
Reserve champion Simmental heifer; Kyndall Williams, Morrow County;
Champion % Simmental heifer; Amber Shoemaker, Stark County;
Reserve Grand Champion % Simmental heifer; Jonathan Barrett, Meigs County;
Champion Simmental steer; Kaitlyn Thompson, Miami County;
Reserve champion Simmental steer; Lindsey Pugh, Stark County;

AOB Champion

AOB heifer; Allison Davis, Carroll County;
Reserve champion AOB heifer; Curtis Harsh, Delaware County;
Champion AOB steer; Gerrett Davison, Madison County;

Market Heifer

Champion market heifer;Molly Spohn, Jackson ;
Reserve champion market heifer;Jacob Jones, Brown ;

Crossbred

Champion crossbred heifer; Rachel Conny, Columbiana County;
Reserve champion crossbred heifer; Jordan Johnson, Gallia County;
Champion crossbred steer; Alexandra Witt, Greene County;
Reserve champion crossbred steer; Gerrett Davison, Madison County; (BEST Novice Champions)

Heifers

Champion novice heifer; Kathy Lehman, Richland County; ShorthornPlus;
Reserve champion novice heifer; Austin Hunker, Huron County;  High % Maine-Anjou;

Market animals

Champion novice steer; Whitney Miller, Holmes County; Shorthorn;
Reserve champion novice steer; Kaitlyn Thompson, Miami County; Simmental;

BEST Bred and owned Champions
Heifers

Champion Bred and owned heifer; Lydia Dance, Highland County; Angus;
Reserve champion bred and owned heifer; Marlee Hess, Darke County; MaineTainer;
Third overall bred and owned heifer; Devan Eckert, Morgan County; MaineTainer;
Fourth overall bred and owned heifer; Morgan Smith; Morgan County;  MaineTainer;
Fifth overall bred and owned heifer; Dalton Kennedy; Adams County; MaineTainer;

Steers

Champion bred and owned steer; Whitney Miller, Holmes County; Shorthorn;
Reserve champion bred and owned steer; Kendra Gabriel, Pickaway County; Simmental;
(TIE) Third overall bred and owned steer; Alexis Wilcox, Darke County; Maine-Anjou;
(TIE) Third overall bred and owned steer; Ian Gehret, Darke County; Maine-Anjou;
Fourth overall bred and owned steer; Jacob Monnier, Shelby County; Maine-Anjou;
Fifth overall bred and owned steer; Madison King, Logan County; ShorthornPlus;

BEST Showmanship Winners
Novice

Champion novice showman;Austin Hunker, Huron County;
Reserve novice showman; Olivia Wood, Fayette County;
Third overall novice showman; Haley Quallen, Greene County;
Fourth overall novice showman;Justin Hiltbrand, Butler County;
Fifth overall novice showman; Matthew Kelling, Lorain County;

Beginner

Champion beginner showman; Allison King, Seneca County;
Reserve beginner showman;Chris Tooms, Muskingum County;
Third overall beginner showman; Alayna McIntosh, Brown County;
Fourth overall beginner showman; Megan Black. Adams County;
Fifth overall beginner showman; Aly Simpson, Adams County;

Junior

Champion junior showman; Allison Davis, Carroll County;
Reserve champion junior showman; Kyle Piscione, Lorain County;
Third overall junior showman; Madison Jones, Brown County;
Fourth overall junior showman; Rachel Dickson, Licking County;
Fifth overall junior showman; Lori Millenbaugh, Crawford County;

Intermediate

Champion intermediate showman; Lindsey Push, Stark County;
Reserve champion intermediate showman; Jacob Jones, Brown County;
Third overall intermediate showman; Trent Broermann, Preble County;
Fourth overall intermediate showman; Austin Garner, Butler County;
Fifth overall intermediate showman; Jessica Griffith, Brown County;

Senior

Champion senior showman; Amber Shoemaker, Stark County;
Reserve champion senior showman; Cameron Alexander, Clinton County;
Third overall senior showman; Hallie Hiser, Greene County;
Fourth overall senior showman; Landon Richards, Wood County;
Fifth overall senior showman; Taylor Darner, Butler County;
M.H. Eby Trailer Winner

Participants in this year’s program received an entry into the drawing for the free use of an 8’ x 26’ Eby Trailer complete with BEST logo detailing for the 2014-2015 BEST season, donated by Eby Trailer. Participants were given an entry for every animal they showed at each show throughout the season equaling more than 3,500 entries. The lucky winner was Luke McKee, of Knox County.

Gift certificate winners

Caleb McKee, Knox ;, won the drawing for a $500 gift certificate toward the purchase of his next show animal from an OCA member. Winning a Show Pass valued at more than $750 was Hannah Barr, Ashland ;. A gas card valued at $100 was won by Kaylee Wilcox, of Darke County.

Community Service

BEST Participants donated time and funds toward two community service projects supporting local youth, Make-A-Wish® and Ronald McDonald House Charities® during 2013-2014. In all, BEST youth raised $14,207 for Make-A-Wish. Hannah Weymouth, of Clark County, was the top fundraiser for Make-A-Wish® and was awarded with a $500 shopping spree with Weaver Livestock. Participants raising $50 or more were also entered to win a $500 show supply gift certificate. Calvin Trigg, of Franklin County, was selected as the drawing winner.

BEST members have collected pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House Charities for the past three years and have donated more than one ton of pop tabs. This year 485 pounds were collected by participants with Ian Gehret of Darke County, collecting the most at more than 130 pounds. He was awarded with a $500 Weaver Livestock show supply shopping spree.

17 show attendees

It takes a lot of time and dedication for juniors and their parents to attend any of the BEST shows, but several individuals attended all 17 BEST shows across the state. Thirty-nine BEST participants won a single show pass for the 2014-2015 season and Hannah Weymouth, of Clark County, was the winner of the full year show pass drawing.

Photography Contest

For the 2013-2014 season. This year’s photography contest had top-notch entries encompassing four divisions: BEST Shows and Activities, Landscapes, People and Around the Farm. Three placings were awarded in each age division and an Editor’s Choice and Editor’s Choice Honorable Mention were selected from all submissions. In the beginner division taking first and second was Drew Weymouth, Clark County.

Winning first place in the junior division and editor’s choice honorable mention was Garret Rust, of Clark County; second place was Hannah Weymouth, Clark County; and third place was Kyle Piscione, Lorain County. Winning the intermediate division in first place was Danielle Whitted, of Portage County. In the senior division taking first, second and third place along with editor’s choice was Brittany Conkey, of Defiance County. In the adult division winning first and third place was Tammy Rust, Clark County; and second place was Steve Johnson, Pickaway County.

BEST Committee

The OCA BEST program functions with the strong backing of the BEST Committee. Serving on the BEST Committee are Todd Pugh, Chairman; Mark Hara, Vice Chairman; Patricia Cluxton; Brandon Corry; Ashley Culp; Alice Frazier; Dwight Hamilton; Mark Hara; Roy Norman; Si Pirogowicz; Todd Salome; and Bill Tom, Ohio State Fair Beef Director. Show representatives on the committee were Sally Puzacke, Buckeye Classic; and Jeff Winkle, Hot Shot Classic. During the BEST awards banquet, new junior representatives for the 2014-2015 season were announced. They are Lauren Corry, Greene County; and Matthew Hiser, Greene County. Continuing for a second term is Devin Coon, Jackson County. Retiring junior representatives recognized were Amber Shoemaker, Stark County; and Jessica Lohr, of Crawford County.