SALE OF CHAMPIONS INVESTS IN TOMORROW'S AGRICULTURAL LEADERS

Governor JB Pritzker and First Lady MK Pritzker Donate $105,000

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Being in the Governor's Sale of Champions is something all livestock exhibitors dream about. Each year, this marquee event showcases the hard work and dedication of the youth in the agriculture industry.

Governor JB Pritzker and First Lady MK Pritzker took home the Grand Champion Steer for the fourth year in row, donating $105,000 towards the purchase of the animal and tying the record Frist Lady MK Pritzker set in 2021. The Governor and First Lady also encouraged others at the Sale of Champions to make donations to go towards all of the champion exhibitors to further the advancement of youth in agriculture.

In addition to being spotlighted before the crowd on Wednesday night, these Grand Champion exhibitors, along with the Reserve Grand Champion exhibitors, will receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their animal. The exhibitors use the funds towards their college education or invest it back into projects for next year.

“These exhibitors are the future of agriculture in our state and represent the best of the best,” said Jerry Costello II, Director, Illinois Department of Agriculture. “The Sale of Champions is the cherry on top of the Illinois State Fair. To see our youth in agriculture rewarded for the work that they put into these animals is my favorite aspect of the Illinois State Fair.”

CME Group also realizes the importance of education, which is why they have donated $45,000 in scholarships to this year’s Sale of Champions and for last decade. This year seed company Beck’s is providing a $20,000 scholarship to be split among the champions.

Below are the results of the 2023 Commodity Auction and the 2023 Sale of Champions. It should be noted that the Grand Champion Steer will be donated to Feeding Illinois and dispersed to food banks across the state.

Commodity

Exhibitor

Location

Purchases

Price

Champion Queso Blanco Cheese

V&V Supreme

Chicago, IL

University of Illinois Colleges of ACES

$850

Champion Provolone Cheese

Jamison-Foremost Farms Inc.

Appleton, WI

McDonalds

Marty & Donna Davis

$600

Champion Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Foremost Farms Inc.-Marshfield

Marshfield, WI

McDonalds

Marty & Donna Davis

$550

Champion Vanilla Yogurt

Deerland Dairy

Freeport, IL

Illinois State Auctioneers Association

$450

Champion 1% Chocolate Milk

Prairie Farms-Rockford

Rockford, IL

McDonalds

Marty & Donna Davis

$450

Champion Bacon

Behrmann Meat & Processing

Albers, IL

IL State Rep Charlie Meier, Weeke Electric, Eaglemann Construction

$3,100

Champion Bone-In Ham

Eickman’s Processing Co. Inc.

Seward, IL

Forreston Mutual

$2,000

Champion Beef Jerky

Jones Meat & Locker

Jacksonville, IL

Forreston Mutual

$1,700

Champion Snack Sticks

Turasky Meats

Springfield, IL

George Obernagel &

Joe Hampton

$1,800

Champion Cooked Bratwurst

Turasky Meats

Springfield, IL

University of Illinois College of ACES

$1,300

Best of Show Wine

Twelve Oaks Vineyard

Carlyle, IL

Illinois State Auctioneers Association

$1,000

Grand Champion Honey

William Budd

Springfield, IL

Illinois State Auctioneers Association

$700

Best in Show Dairy Goat’s Milk

Lillian Lee

Glenarm, IL

Paul Rice, Myers Rice Auction & Realty

$550

Animal

Exhibitor

County

Purchasers

Price

Grand Champion Rabbit Market Pen

Chesney Thorton

McLean

Springfield Plastics, AgriVest Farm Management, Field Level Agriculture, Inc.

$6,500

Grand Champion Poultry Meat Pen

Owen Pree

Iroquois

McDonalds Marty & Donna Davis, Mike McGraw, Michael Kasprzyk & Brad & Karol Davis

$5,250

Land of Lincoln Supreme Champion Dairy Cow Print

Alaina Dinderman

Stephenson

Midwest Dairy, Becks Seed-Ryan Family, Stephenson Farm Bureau & St. Louis Dairy Council

$4,200

Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Meat Goat

Trig Stoller

Woodford

Evans Feed & Bedding, Ed Teefey & Farmers, State Bank & Trust Company-Mt. Sterling & Illinois State Fair Sky Ride

$5,500

Grand Champion Meat Goat

Nolan Hoge

McDonough

George Obernagel- Waterloo, IL & Obernagel Family Farms

$6,000

Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Market Lamb

Bryce Clayton

Scott

AgriGold, Kiefer Farms, Pivot Bio, Logan Agri-Service, Inc., LG Seeds, Jones Show Feed-Andy & Darcie Jones, Roland Machinery

$7,500

Grand Champion Market Lamb

Lilian Unger

Kankakee

North American Midway Entertainment, Syngenta, Eric Faugust & West Central Farm Supply

$11,000

Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Barrow

& Grand Champion Barrow

Hunter Shike

Champaign

CME Group

$25,000

Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Steer

Maddox Reedy

Douglas

BRANDT

$40,000

Grand Champion Steer

Kashen Ellerbrock

Henry

JB & MK Pritzker

$105,000

Illinois e-News Release

SALE OF CHAMPIONS INVESTS IN TOMORROW'S AGRICULTURAL LEADERS

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