Sale of Champions raises almost $94,000 for scholarships and youth programming
DOSWELL––The Sept. 30, 2023, State Fair of Virginia Youth Livestock Sale of Champions raised $93,725 in support of the fair’s long-standing commitment to youth.
The 2023 State Fair welcomed youth exhibiting market cattle, swine, goats and sheep for the opportunity to compete for scholarships and premiums at the annual Sale of Champions.
The sale celebrates the hard work of Virginia 4-H and FFA participants, and auction proceeds benefit the State Fair Youth Scholarship Fund and the fair’s continued support of youth across the commonwealth.
“The Youth Livestock Show and Sale of Champions benefits so many worthy students, and we are thrilled that the community continues to show up and support this fundraising event,” said Marlene Jolliffe, the fair’s executive director. “The livestock shows and the Sale of Champions embody part of the State Fair Youth Development Board’s mission—to connect farmers, teachers, leaders and businesses in offering encouragement and recognition to Virginia’s youth as they participate in competitions and educational programs. And we are so grateful to our committees, volunteers, The Meadow Event Park staff and Virginia Cooperative Extension, who all play a part in this annual effort.”
The fair offers youth more than $100,000 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 and scholarships.
The Sale of Champions featured the auction of grand champion and reserve champion market animals from this year’s 4-H and FFA youth livestock shows. Exhibitors received 25% of their respective animals’ purchase prices—75% as a cash premium and 25% in scholarship funds. The following are this year’s winners:
- Grand Champion Market Beef, exhibited by Emma Jo Donnelly of Clarke County and purchased for $17,150 by Blair Construction, BMB Steel, Brandt, Cargill Protein, CFC Farm & Home Center, Chaz Schultz Realty LLC, Clearbrook Feed & Supply, Corteva/DuPont Pioneer, Custom Construction Management, D Scott Herndon Inc., Dwight Houff, Frank Graves, Knight Cattle, Performance Food Group, Sunnyside Farm, Virginia Club Calf Producers, Virginia Grain Producers Association, Virginia Seed Co., and Virginia Soybean Association.
- Reserve Champion Market Beef, exhibited by Rylee Stratton of Appomattox County and purchased for $13,750 by Daltons on the Sycamore, ETS, Everett Farms Inc., Fords Foods, Glenmary Farms LLC, Gregory Poole Lift Systems, Ironsides Animal Health, James River Equipment, K&R Concessions, Lakewood Tack Shop, Lynwood Broaddus, Marshall Farms, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Pinson Novelties, Pryoville Farm, Virginia Farm Bureau, Virginia Soybean Association and Wightman Crop Insurance.
- Grand Champion Market Hog, exhibited by Jordan Kelly of Clarke County and purchased for $17,000 by BMB Steel, McGuire Woods LLP and Smithfield Foods.
- Grand Champion Market Lamb, exhibited by Brynleigh Shook of Southampton County and purchased for $11,000 by Charter Next Gen, Dee Brothers, Foxfire Feed, Land of Promise Farms and Smithfield Foods.
- Reserve Champion Market Lamb, exhibited by Josephine Caldwell of Rockbridge County and purchased for $5,600 by Augusta Cooperative Farm Bureau, CFC Farm & Home Center, First Bank & Trust Co., Frank Graves, Houff Corp., Ironsides Animal Health, Keith Simmons and family, and Wilmer and Peggy Stoneman.
- Grand Champion Market Goat, exhibited by Anna Somerindyke of Virginia Beach and purchased for $6,750 by Blackwater Creeds Foundation Inc., Kevin and Heather Newton, Land of Promise Farms, Nutrien, S&R Meat Goats, Virginia Beach 4-H Livestock Club Inc., Virginia Beach Farm Bureau and Weller & Associates Inc.
- Reserve Champion Market Goat, exhibited by Ella Warns of Rockingham County and purchased for $4,500 by CFC Farm & Home Center, Charter Next Gen, First Bank & Trust Co., Fun Time Foods, Gore Trailer Sales, Griffs Catering, Hog Wild Bar-B-Que, Houff Corp., John Broaddus, Pelican Joe’s Donuts, Polar Bear Homemade Ice Cream and Two Kings Concessions.
- Additional donations were made by Dick and Julia Rose, Glenn Martin, Hog Slat Inc., Land of Promise Farms, Sunnyside Farm, Tom Nixon and the Virginia Pork Council.
The 2024 State Fair of Virginia will run from Sept. 27 through Oct. 6. 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 and attracts over 210,000 fairgoers. The event celebrates the best of Virginia’s past, present and future through scholarship initiatives, creative programming and a focus on the commonwealth’s agriculture and natural resources industries.
Media: Contact Pam Wiley, vice president of communications, at 804-291-6315.