Illinois State Fair

2018 Governor’s Sale of Champions invests in future agricultural leaders
Three Logan County youth do well at annual State Fair Auction

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[August 16, 2018]  A pair of new records were set at the 2018 Governor’s Sale of Champions Tuesday night at the Illinois State Fair. Each year, this marquee event of the Ag Day festivities showcases the hard work and dedication of youth in the agriculture industry.

From Logan County, Dawn Irwin sold her Land of Lincoln Supreme Champion Dairy Cow Print for a high bid of $3,000. Griffin Jodlowski sold his Best in Show Dairy Goat’s Milk for $550. Ella Bobell won Grand Champion Barrow this year at the State Fair. On Tuesday evening that barrow brought a whopping $25,000.

In addition to being spotlighted before a full crowd at the Livestock Center on Tuesday night, these Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion exhibitors receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their animal. Many exhibitors use the money for their college education or invest it back into projects for next year.

“These youth exhibitors are the future of Illinois agriculture, which is our state’s number one industry,” said Raymond Poe, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. “As agribusiness continues to grow and evolve, these kids will be educated and qualified to fill the industry needs. At the Department of Ag, we’re encouraging these young leaders to stay involved here in their home state to lead the ag industry.”

CME Group, Compeer Financial, and the Illinois 4-H Foundation also realize the importance of education, which is why they collectively donated $65,000 in scholarships to this year’s Sale of Champions. Thanks to these generous contributions, each of our Grand Champion exhibitors will go home with $6,000 in scholarships to further their careers in Illinois agriculture. Reserve Grand Champion exhibitors will also receive a portion of the proceeds from this evening’s sale.

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Two new records were set at Tuesday night’s Sale of Champions:

The 2018 Grand Champion Honey sold for $2,600, breaking the previous record of $850. This year’s Grand Champion Honey was exhibited by Nancy Sweet of Chatham. Nancy says she’s been a longtime gardener and is currently a master gardener intern. Nancy says she plans to donate all proceeds from tonight’s sale to Alzheimer’s disease research.

The sale of the 2018 Grand Champion and Grand Champion Land of Lincoln Meat Goat Wether set a new record at $11,300, breaking the previous record of $11,050. Chase Tomhave of Jacksonville exhibited the winning Meat Goat Wether. Chase will be a freshman at Illinois College, majoring in ag business management. After college, he plans to return to the family farm to work with his dad and brother in farm real estate or crop insurance.

Below are the results of the 2018 Commodity Auction and the 2018 Governor’s Sale of Champions. It should be noted that the goats, sheep, barrows, and steers are being donated to the University of Illinois College of ACES.

[Illinois Department of Agriculture/Illinois State Fair]

Commodity

Exhibitor

Location

Purchaser(s)

Sale Price

Grand Champion Ice Cream

JB’s Gourmet Ice Cream

Worth, Illinois

Governor & Mrs. Rauner

$1,100

Grand Champion Aged Gouda

Caves of Faribault

Faribault, Minnesota

Marty & Madonna Davis, McDonald’s Restaurant

$800

Grand Champion Flavored Chihuahua Cheese

V & V Supremo Cheese Company

Chicago, Illinois

Governor & Mrs. Rauner

$1,000

Grand Champion Brie Cheese

Alouette, owned by Savencia Cheese USA

Made in Lena, Illinois

Governor & Mrs. Rauner

$1,050

Grand Champion Blue Cheese

Caves of Faribault

Faribault, Minnesota

Orion & Gloria Samuelson

$800

Grand Champion Snack Sticks

Turasky’s Meats

Springfield, Illinois

Dean Kimberlee Kidwell, University of Illinois College of ACES

$1,150

Grand Champion Beef Jerky

Turasky’s Meats

Springfield, Illinois

Rustic Oak Farms

$1,050

Commodity

Exhibitor

Location

Purchaser(s)

Sale Price

Grand Champion Bacon

Leiding’s Meats and Catering

Danville, Illinois

Raymond Poe, IL Director of Agriculture; Luke Sailer, State Fair Manager

$1,250

Grand Champion Luncheon Meats

Leiding’s Meats and Catering

Danville, Illinois

Joe Hampton & George Obernagel

$950

Grand Champion Ham

Eickman’s Processing Company

Seward, Illinois

Rich Brauer

$1,300

Best of Show Wine – Demi Sec Rosé

Illinois Sparkling Company

Utica, Illinois

Sen. Sam McCann

$500

Grand Champion Honey

Nancy Sweet

Chatham, Illinois

Governor & Mrs. Rauner

$2,600*

new record

Best in Show Dairy Goat’s Milk

Griffen Jodlowski

Atlanta, Illinois

Turner Farms – in Memory of Jim Turner

$550

Animal

Exhibitor

County

Purchaser(s)

Sale Price

Grand Champion Rabbit Market Pen

Sam Pree

Iroquois

George Obernagel; Glen Werry; Agrivest Farm Management

$3,500

Grand Champion Poultry Market Pen

Grant Wilderman

Bond

McDonald’s Group: Dave & Julie Embry, Paul & Mary Breznay, McGraw Enterprises, Davis Family

$4,000

Land of Lincoln Supreme Champion Dairy Cow Print

Sarah Irwin

Logan

Prairie Farms Dairy

$3,000

Animal

Exhibitor

County

Purchaser(s)

Sale Price

Grand Champion & Grand Champion Land of Lincoln Meat Goat Wether

Chase Tomhave

Morgan

Springfield Plastics; Ed Teefey; The Sky Ride; Rex Evans; Kiefer Farms; IL Auctioneers Assoc. & Farm Credit; Hummel Livestock; Syngenta Crop Protection & Prairieland FS; Prairie View Farms

$11,300*
new record

Grand Champion Land of Lincoln Wether Lamb

Olivia Caldwell

Peoria

Becks, Stone, Channel, Tomhave Farms; IL Auctioneers Assoc.; Syngenta; Prairie View Farms

$7,250

Grand Champion Wether Lamb

Bryce Clayton

Scott

North American Midway Entertainment

$8,500

Grand Champion Land of Lincoln Barrow

Morgan Wagner

Fulton

Monsanto; DeKalb; Asgrow

$15,500

Grand Champion Barrow

Ella Bobell

Logan

CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange)

$25,000

Grand Champion Land of Lincoln Steer

Tara Hummel

Kankakee

BRANDT

$30,000

Grand Champion Steer

Adam Miller

Livingston

Governor & Mrs. Rauner

$60,000

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