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COLUMBUS — The 2011 Ohio State Fair Sale of Champions set three new records and welcomed the grand champion turkey, market goat and block of Swiss cheese to the sale order.
New records were set for the grand champion steer ($85,000), reserve champion steer ($40,000) and reserve champion meat chickens ($16,000).
Since 1995, exhibitors have received a “cap” amount of the funds, with the rest going toward the Youth Reserve Program — carcass contests, scholarships, the outstanding market exhibitor program, showmanship, skillathons, dairy cattle, breeding livestock, 4-H and FFA.
A record $236,000 was raised at this year’s sale for the youth program, which has raised more than $1.7 million and reached more than 24,000 young people since its inception.
Virgil Strickler, the fair’s general manager, joined Ohio State University Dean Bobby Moser, President Gordon Gee and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor in congratulating exhibitors for their hard work prior to the sale.
Hard work
Strickler thanked parents for all their support, and said he’s very proud to have the “number one state fair of agricultural exhibits.”
Taylor said the auction is where buyers have a chance to reward exhibitors for all their hard work, and their pursuit of the American Dream.
“It’s so important because these kids put their hearts and souls into raising their prize hogs, their prize chickens or their prize steers and we want to reward them for their hard work,” she said.
Auctioneers were Johnny Regula, Steve Andrews, Kevin Wendt and Todd Woodruff.
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