Illinois State Fair:
Changes to Sale of Champions will award prize money to more youth exhibitors
Director Poe thanks advisory board for input and recommendations
 

[May 12, 2017]    SPRINGFIELD - In an effort to celebrate the accomplishments of our youth exhibitors, Director Raymond Poe and State Fair Manager Kevin Gordon announced today that changes outlined in the 2017 Illinois State Fair Joint Livestock Open & Junior Premium Book will allow for more youth exhibitors to receive prize money at the Governor’s Sale of Champions.

The Governor’s Sale of Champions is the crown jewel of agricultural events at the Illinois State Fair. The money raised at the Tuesday night auction helps to support Illinois agriculture. The new formula created for the 2017 fair will offer awards as follows:

• 50% of the auction funds to the youth exhibitor of the Grand Champion,
   
• 15% to the exhibitor of the Reserve Grand Champion,
   
• 15% divided evenly among the exhibitors of other breed Champions in that Class,
   
• 10% in the name of the buyer(s) to the Illinois 4-H Foundation, and
  • 10% to Illinois FFA Foundation to promote livestock programs.

The Land of Lincoln designation is bestowed to a purebred animal that is bred and raised in Illinois. In the event that the Grand Champion is also the Land of Lincoln champion, the distribution will be as follows:

• 50% of the auction funds to the youth exhibitor,
   
• 12.5% to the exhibitor of the Reserve Grand Champion,
   
• 12.5% divided evenly among the exhibitors of other breed Champions in that Class,
   
• 10% in the name of the buyer(s) to the Illinois 4-H Foundation,
  • 10% to Illinois FFA Foundation, and
   
• 5% to the Land of Lincoln Purebred Breeders Association to promote Illinois livestock

Previously, 80-percent of the auction funds went to the youth exhibitor of the Grand Champion, with the remaining 20-percent split equally among Illinois 4-H Foundation and Illinois FFA. This move, while still awarding a significant amount of money to the youth exhibitor of the overall Grand Champion, opens the door to honor the achievements of other youth exhibitors who earn the right to compete at the Parade of Champions.

“The youth exhibitors who show each year at the Illinois State Fair are the future of our agricultural industry,” said Director Raymond Poe. “Raising livestock instills valuable life skills such as the importance of hard work, dedication, diligence and responsibility. I want to thank the men and women of the State Fair Advisory Board, and its sub-committee, for their commitment to Illinois agriculture. Together we were able to work together to find a way to reward more youth exhibitors at this year’s Illinois State Fair.”

Other changes outlined in the 2017 Illinois State Fair Premium Book include:

• Allowing off-label drugs prescribed by a licensed veterinarian, if disclosed at check-in. Previously, the presence of an off-label drug would result in disqualification.
   
• Releasing a list of drugs that, if found in the animal’s system, would result in a higher penalty assessed to exhibitor.

The Illinois State Fair Premium Book is now available online and copies of the annual publication will soon be available at the Illinois State Fair Administration Office, located in the Emmerson Building.

The 2017 Illinois State Fair will take place August 10th – August 20th in Springfield, Illinois.

[Illinois Department of Agriculture/Illinois State Fair]