Twelve livestock exhibitors from across Missouri participated in the Sale of Champions on Saturday at the Missouri State Fair.
Lincoln Berndt with Princeton FFA had the Grand Champion Steer, which sold for $34,000.
“It’s a pretty big deal and a lot of hard work,” he says.
That hard work includes lots of time spent with animals. Alexis Koelling with Bowling Green FFA had the Reserve Champion Meat Goat. She tells Brownfield she was close with Panda the goat, and goodbye makes the sale bittersweet.
“He was tough to crack and get to know at first, but once he finally opened up his shell and we got to work with him, it was always something new each day and always a joy.”
The sale is familiar for some of the participants, including Koelling and Ty Murphy from Sweet Springs. It’s the fourth time for Murphy, who had the Grand Champion Market Barrow.
“This is my Supervised Ag Experience. I also have some cows with my dad and I raise show goats, which I hope to continue doing outside of school.”
The sale is a new experience for others, including Sam Jordan from the Savannah FFA. He had the Reserve Champion Steer, which raised the most money at the sale at $38,500. Jordan says the money will help fund his college.
“I want to pursue a degree in animal science in junior college,” he says. “Once I transfer to a senior college, I want to learn more about nutrition and how that affects animals in the long run.”
Ag Director Chris Chinn says the best part about the sale is the investment it makes in the future of Missouri agriculture.
“The money that gets raised, it seems like a lot of money for one person, but what people don’t realize is that person isn’t getting all that money. It’s going for scholarships and it makes a big difference,” says Chinn.
The Best of Missouri Sale, held before the Sale of Champions on Saturday, featured the top hams, bacons and Missouri Grown products.
Combined, the Sale of Champions and the Best of Missouri Sale at the Missouri State Fair raised more than $332,000 for Youth in Agriculture scholarships. The committee awarded more than 60 scholarships to Missouri 4-H and FFA State Fair exhibitors this year.
