DOSWELL (November 14, 2017)—The Oct. 7 State Fair of Virginia Youth Livestock Sale of Champions raised $82,362 to support the fair’s long-standing commitment to youth.
“In addition to helping fund the fair’s scholarship program, the Sale of Champions also affords an opportunity to showcase our youth livestock exhibitors’ hard work and achievement,” said Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, the fair’s executive director. “Nearly 400 young people exhibited livestock during the 10-day run of the 2017 fair, and the skills they develop while raising and showing animals will serve them—and Virginia agriculture—for years to come.”
The fair offers youth up to $70,000 each year in scholarship funds through 4-H, FFA and vocational competitions and specific equine, fine arts and horticulture competitions. Sale of Champions proceeds support competition premiums as well as an endowed scholarship fund open to all youth State Fair exhibitors and an awarded scholarship program for youth livestock exhibitors.
The Sale of Champions featured auction of grand champion and reserve grand champion market animals from this year’s 4-H and FFA youth livestock shows. Exhibitors received 25 percent of their respective animals’ purchase prices—60 percent as a cash premium and 40 percent in scholarship funds.
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- Grand Champion Market Beef, exhibited by Houston Kibler of Shenandoah County and purchased for $17,000 by Virginia Club Calf Producers, Kroger, Ironsides Animal Health, James C. Justice Companies, DuPont Pioneer, Glenmary Farms LLC, DOTS Beef and Derrow & Talley Cattle Co.
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef, exhibited by Jenna Kibler of Shenandoah County and purchased for $11,500 by the Virginia Soybean Association, Western View Plantation LLC, Seven Hills Food, Marshall Farms, Virginia Beach Farm Bureau, Griff’s Catering and Youth Livestock Fund contributors: Keith Simmons and family, Augusta Cooperative Farm Bureau Inc., Tiki Tea Inc., CFC Farm and Home Center, Virginia State Feed Association, Pryoville Farm, Lakeview Tack Shop, Everett Farms Inc., Southampton Farm Bureau, Delta Springs Farm, Knight Cattle Co., DBA Elam Hill Farm, Lynwood Broaddus, Pinnacle Agriculture, Emergency Training Systems Inc., Fredericksburg Livestock Market LLC, Two Kings Concessions, and DBA Fun Time Foods
- Grand Champion Market Hog, exhibited by Caleb Boden of Frederick County and purchased for $14,500 by Smithfield Foods and McGuire Woods LLP
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Hog, exhibited by Hunter Ross of Chesapeake and purchased for $13,500 by the Virginia Pork Council, Smithfield Foods, Hog Slat Inc., Land of Promise Farms, Stohlquist Showpigs and Premium Blend Genetics
- Grand Champion Market Lamb, exhibited by Ryan Gobble of Abingdon and purchased for $7,300 by the Virginia Soybean Association, First Bank & Trust Co., Tidewater Seed LLC and Axis Brand, Spaghetti Eddie, Ed and Natalie Blevins, Woodbrook Limousin Farms, Cool Breeze, Abingdon Equipment Co., High Noon Feeds, May Valley Club Lambs, Hot Wisconsin Cheese, and SE Mowing
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb, exhibited by Sarah-Jane French of Cumberland County and purchased for $5,200 by Brandt, Land of Promise Farms, Deere Horns Homemade Ice Cream, Pickle Barrel and Triple T
- Grand Champion Market Goat, exhibited by Leah Greiner of Christiansburg and purchased for $6,300 by Farm Credit, Cargill Turkey Production, Ironsides Animal Health, Land of Promise Farms, Cargill Animal Nutrition, Pony Rides Ltd., K&R Concessions and Riley’s Bellaire Farm
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat, exhibited by Zane Redifer of Blacksburg and purchased for $5,000 by Crop Production Services Inc., James River Equipment, Weller & Associates LLC, the Virginia Grain Producers Association, Virginia Beach Farm Bureau, Ice Tea Lady & The Dude.com, Emergency Training Systems Inc., Porky’s and Hot Wisconsin Cheese
Other sale supporters were Glenmary Farms LLC, Snyder Cattle Co., MC Livestock, Echo Hill Farm, Land of Promise Farms, the French family, the Boden family, Green Works Nursery, E.B. Harris, Shane Harris, Scott Weller and Alex Weller.
The 2018 State Fair of Virginia will run from Sept. 28 through Oct. 7. Information is available at StateFairVa.org.
The State Fair is held each fall at its permanent home at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County. The fair’s mission is to increase agricultural and natural resource awareness and interest through educational programs, exhibitions and competitions in a fun, family-friendly setting.
Contact Greg Hicks, vice president of communications, at 804-290-1139.