MARYSVILLE, Ohio — The annual Ohio Cattlemen’s Association BEST awards banquet was May 1, at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, in Columbus. Over 350 exhibitors were awarded for their show success, cattle industry knowledge, photography skills, community service efforts and more.
This year’s BEST program featured seven weekends of sanctioned shows across the state. More than 592 youth participants showed 850 head of market animals and heifers throughout the season.
Donations
The banquet kicked off with the annual Ronald McDonald House Charities donation. BEST exhibitors raised money earlier in the year through the Celebrity Showdown and collected pop tabs all year.
Over 1,280 pounds of pop tabs were accumulated and this year’s donation total was $23,467. The highest donations were from Weston and Lawson Grauer, of Richland County, with $2,925, and Austin Sutherly, of Clark County, with $1,100. Cheyenne Baker, of Preble County, submitted the most pop tabs, with 472 pounds.
Awards
The main event of the evening was the award recognition ceremony.
Ray Beneker, of Butler County, and McKenzie Riley, of Fayette County, won the 2021 BEST character awards for dependability. Cheyenne Baker, and Ashton Bain, of Highland County, won BEST character awards for generosity. Owen Bailey, of Wayne County, won the BEST character award for courage.
Bailey Dusseau, of Ottawa County, won the BEST character award for passion, and Cheyenne Myers, of Stark County, won the BEST character award for joyfulness.
Youth scholarships of $1,000 went to Victoria Waits, of Fayette County, Jacob LeBrun, of Scioto County, Macie Riley, of Fayette County, and Megan Garrison, of Belmont County.
Photography
In photography, Brianna Foxx, of Highland County, won the beginners division, Masen Jolliff, of Hardin County, won the junior division, Emily Musser, of Logan County, won the intermediate division, Madisen Jolliff, of Hardin County, won the senior division, and Lindsey Wichart, of Putnam County, won the adult division.
Emily Musser won the Editor’s Choice Award, and Tatumn Poff, of Geauga County, won the Editor’s Choice Honorable Mention.
Committee
This new junior representatives beginning their first terms on the BEST Committee next season are Dawson Osborn, of Highland County, Rachel O’Reilly, of Geauga County, and Payton Shepard, of Henry County. Mckenzie Riley, and Grace England, of Portage County, will continue for their second terms.
Stockmanship
The following are the champions and reserve champions in the stockmanship competitions.
Champion beginner: Emma Helsinger, Preble County,
Reserve champion beginners: Gavin Richards, Wood County; Blaine Evans, Tuscarawas County
Champion junior: Ashton Bain
Reserve champion junior: Brady Evans, Tuscarawas County
Champion novice: Brock Perry, Ottawa County
Reserve champion novice: Kaylee Jennings, Clermont County
Champion intermediate: Grant Helsinger, Montgomery County
Reserve champion intermediate: Tatumn Poff
Champion senior: Garrett Bosse, Geauga County
Reserve champion senior: Dawson Osborn
Showmanship. The following are the showmanship champions and reserve champions.
Champion beginner: Emma Helsinger
Reserve champion beginner: Kolten Greenhorn, Greene County
Champion junior: Delaney Chester, Warren County
Reserve champion junior: Emma Yochum, Highland County
Champion novice: Hayden Shumaker, Clinton County
Reserve champion novice: Kaylee Jennings
Champion intermediate: Mallory Myers, Licking County
Reserve champion intermediate: Luke Jennings, Clermont County
Champion senior: Emily Jones, Butler County
Reserve champion senior: Collin Fedderke, Henry County
Breed divisions. The following are the champions and reserve champions for the breed divisions.
Champion Angus heifer: Delaney Jones, Allen County
Reserve champion Angus heifer: Emma Graft, Butler County
Champion Angus steer: Camdyn Burns, Union County
Reserve champion Angus steer: Ellie Kidwell, Knox County
Champion Charolais heifer: Luke Leith, of Lawrence County
Reserve champion Charolais heifer: Mackenzie Grimm, Clark County
Champion Charolais steer: Hunter Shumaker, Clinton County
Reserve champion Charolais steer: Macie Riley
Champion percent Charolais heifer: Tanner Butcher, Hardin County
Reserve champion percent Charolais heifer: Trayden Schumacher, Richland County
Champion Chianina heifer: Owen Fennig, Mercer County
Reserve champion Chianina heifer: Allison Herr, Fulton County
Champion Chianina steer: Jenna Young, Harrison County
Reserve champion Chianina steer: Tanner Butcher
Champion Hereford heifer: Mason Love, Fairfield County
Reserve champion Hereford heifer: Abbygail Pitstick, Madison County
Champion Hereford steer: Jacob Weichart, Putnam County
Reserve champion Hereford steer: Mason Love
Champion high percent Maine Anjou heifer: Collin Fedderke
Reserve champion high percent Maine Anjou heifer: Hudson Drake, Ross County
Champion Mainetainer heifer: Carly Sanders, Highland County
Reserve champion Mainetainer heifer: Darby Ayars, Champaign County
Champion Maine Anjou steer: Shala Graham, Licking County
Reserve champion Maine Anjou steer: Hayden Shumaker
Champion Shorthorn heifer: Reed Schumacher, Putnam County
Reserve champion shorthorn heifer: McKala Grauel, Morrow County
Champion Shorthorn steer: Wyatt Osborn, Highland County
Reserve champion Shorthorn steer: Emma Helsinger
Champion Shorthorn plus heifer: Samantha VanVorhis, Wood County
Champion Shorthorn plus heifer: Ethan Davies, Wood County
Champion Shorthorn plus steer: Allison Lust, Crawford County
Reserve champion Shorthorn plus steer: Grace Bok, Defiance County
Champion Simmental heifer: Matthew Koverman, Scioto County
Reserve champion Simmental heifer: Hannah Schaub, Auglaize County
Champion percent Simmental heifer: Kathy Lehman, Richland County
Reserve champion percent Simmental heifer: Kendall Davies, Wood County
Champion Simmental steer: Karli Gaddis, Morrow County
Reserve champion Simmental steer: Sydnie Stewart, Preble County
Champion Miniature Hereford heifer: Annabelle Johnson, Preble County
Reserve champion Miniature Hereford heifer: Emma Pitstick, Madison County
Champion and reserve champion Miniature Hereford steer: Seamus Bly, Lake County
Champion high percent AOB heifer: D’lelah Laber, Highland County
Reserve champion high percent AOB heifer: Emma Yochum
Champion low percent AOB heifer: Darby Ayars
Reserve champion low percent AOB heifer: Shayla Sancic, Stark County
Champion AOB steer: Kyle Kardotzke, Huron County
Reserve champion AOB steer: Landon Moore, Fairfield County
Champion crossbred heifer: Tucker Shepard, Henry County
Reserve champion crossbred heifer: Mackenzie Neal, Preble County
Champion market heifer: Kathy Lehman
Reserve champion market heifer: Mackenzie Neal
Champion crossbred steer: Jenna Young
Reserve champion crossbred steer: Carly Csapo, Wayne County
Champion novice heifer: Colton Beck, Morrow County, Hereford
Reserve champion novice heifer: Karissa Treadway, Warren County, percent Simmental
Champion novice market animal: Hunter Shumaker, Charolais
Reserve champion novice market animal: Kyle Kardotzke, AOB
Champion bred and owned heifer: D’lelah Laber, high percent AOB
Reserve bred and owned heifer: Kolten Greenhorn, Shorthorn
Champion bred and owned market animal: Jacob Weichart, Hereford
Reserve bred and owned market animal: Mason Love, Hereford
Buckeye Breeders Series. The Buckeye Breeders Series recognizes breeders and exhibitors who show cattle bred, born and raised in Ohio. The following are the champions and reserve champions in the Buckeye Breeders Series.
Champion Angus heifer: Delaney Jones
Reserve Angus heifer: Luke Leith
Champion Charolais heifer: Kathy Lehman
Reserve Charolais heifer: McKenzie Riley
Champion percent Charolais heifer: Hanna Schroeder, Putnam County
Reserve percent Charolais heifer: Afton Douglas, Mahoning County
Champion Chianina heifer: Allison Herr
Reserve Chianina heifer: Audrey Ross, Athens County
Champion Hereford heifer: Mason Love
Reserve champion Hereford heifer: Ephraim Fowler, Guernsey County
Champion high Maine heifer: Masen Jolliff
Reserve high Maine heifer: Hailey Cornett, Highland County
Champion Maintainer heifer: Naomi Fennig, Mercer County
Reserve Maintainer heifer: Owen Fennig
Champion Shorthorn heifer: Kolten Greenhorn
Reserve Shorthorn heifer: Joshua Blakeman, Jackson County
Champion Shorthorn plus heifer: Ethan Davies
Reserve Shorthorn plus heifer: Garrett Luallen, Muskingum County
Champion Simmental heifer: Matthew Koverman
Reserve Simmental heifer: Hannah Schaub
Champion percent Simmental heifer: Mallory Myers
Reserve percent Simmental heifer: Kendall Davies
Champion high percent AOB heifer: D’lelah Laber
Reserve high percent AOB heifer: Emma Yochum
Low percent AOB heifer: Aubrey Taylor, Wyandot County
Low percent AOB heifer: Terry Ball, Mahoning County
Champion Angus steer: Ellie Kidwell
Reserve Angus steer: Isaac Miley, Noble County
Champion Charolais steer: Macie Riley
Reserve Charolais steer: Tatumn Poff
Champion Chianina steer: Jenna Young
Reserve Chianina steer: Tanner Butcher
Champion Hereford steer: Mason Love
Reserve Hereford steer: Jacob Weichart
Champion Maine steer: Claire Kramer, Hancock County
Reserve Maine steer: Elizabeth Bok, Defiance County
Champion Shorthorn steer: Wyatt Osborn
Reserve Shorthorn steer: Luke Schroeder, Defiance County
Champion Shorthorn plus steer: Allison Lust
Reserve Shorthorn plus steer: Grace Bok
Champion Simmental steer: Karli Gaddis
Reserve Simmental steer: Cheyenne Myers
Champion Mini Hereford steer: Seamus Bly
Reserve Mini Hereford steer: Seamus Bly
Champion AOB steer: Kyle Kardotzke
Reserve AOB steer: Landon Moore
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