Sale of Champions Breaks Three Records
Governor Pat Quinn proved to be a
good “arm twister” at Tuesday evening’s Sale of
Champion Illinois State Fair livestock and
commodities.
“I wish you could raise as much money for the state
of Illinois as you have here tonight,” master of
ceremonies Orion Samuelson said.
With the encouragement of the governor, three
records were broken. The first was for Sarah
DeSchepper’s Grand Champion Wether. DeSchepper’s
wether was auctioned off for $12,500, beating the
previous record by $3,000.
“It’s awesome,” DeSchepper, 18, of Altona, said.
“I’ve been here eight times and never done it. I’m
glad this could be the year and I could be a part of
it.”
The second record was for the sales price of the
Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Barrow. It fetched
$10,100 for showman Adam Gradert, 13, of Geneseo, or
$100 more than the previous mark.
The third record was for Sherman teenager Austin
Burris and his Grand Champion Steer. His steer was
sold for a whopping $51, 200, breaking the previous
record of $50,100.
“I was excited and I couldn’t believe it. It’s
unbelievable,” the 18-year-old Burris said.
Joining these three record-breakers was a newcomer.
13-year-old Kenzie Schlipf came to the sale for the
first time with her Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen.
“It’s a lot to take in and there are a lot of
people,” Schlipf, who was all smiles as her meat pen
sold for $3,700, said.
Schlipf was accompanied at the auction by her
cousin Bodee Schlipf, who exhibited the Grand
Champion Barrow. It sold for $16,000.
“It was really lucky. We never thought we’d both be
in it,” Kenzie said.
The Grand Champion Poultry Meat Pen brought $3,500
for exhibitor James Banas, 13, of Wimington, while
the Grand Champion Meat Goat sold for $3,000. Its
exhibitor was 12-year-old Dylan Hummel of Cabery.
The sale raised $135,200 Tuesday night. The junior
producers who raised the animals receive 80 percent
of the sales price. The remaining 20 percent is
divided equally between the 4H and FFA youth
education programs.
A list of all the animals sold at the auction as
well as their owners, the purchasers, and the amount
that each animal sold for follows:
Product Exhibitor Purchaser Amount
Grand Champion Cheddar Cheese Avanti Foods
Illinois State Auctioneers Association & Farm Credit
Services $600
Grand Champion Cottage Cheese Prairie Farms
(Carbondale, Ill.) McDonalds of Taylorville (Marty
Davis) $425
Grand Champion Cream Cheese Swiss Valley Farms
University of Illinois $750
Grand Champion String Cheese Kraft Foods
(Campbell, N.Y.) Lee Gaule $250
Grand Champion Bacon Erckman’s Processing
Illinois Association of Meat Processors $600
Grand Champion Ham Erckman’s Processing Sorrell’s
Farm Supply $600
Grand Champion Summer Sausage Thrushwood Farms Lee
Auction Service $550
Grand Champion Processed Beef Erckman’s Processing
Cory Craig – Auctioneer $500
Best of Show Illinois Wine Prairie State Winery
Illinois Green Industry Association $1,100
Grand Champion Honey Christopher Saad Top Line
Farms $1,300
Grand Champion Doe’s Milk Evan Jodlowski Parker
Elvidge $1,200
Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen Kenzie Schlipf
Beck’s Hybrids & Agrivest Inc. $3,700
Grand Champion Poultry Trio James Banas
McDonald’s (Marty & Donna Davis Family) $3,500
Land of Lincoln Supreme Champion Female Print
Allison Telgmann Prairie Farms $1,000
Grand Champion Meat Goat Wether Dylan Hummel Dr.
MacGregor & Family $3,000
Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Wether Sarah
DeSchepper Friends of Knox County 4-H, Waste
Management, and the Sky Ride $3,500
Grand Champion Wether Sarah DeSchepper North
American Midway Entertainment $12,500
Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Barrow Adam Gradert
Illinois Purebred Swine Breeders $10,100
Grand Champion Barrow Bodee Schlipf Cargill &
Brandt $16,000
Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Steer Elaine
Richardson Pioneer Hybrids & Friends of Morgan
County 4-H $30, 700
Grand Champion Steer Austin Burris Dekalb,
Asgrow, Monsanto, & AT&T $51,200
Agricultural leaders and supporters gathered on the
Director’s Lawn today to celebrate Ag Day at the
Illinois State Fair. During a luncheon and ceremony,
several individuals and families were recognized for
their contributions to Illinois agriculture. The list
of awards and recipients is as follows:
Award Winner
Hall of Fame Award
Sponsor: Ill. Agri Women Jean Ibendahl
Tamaroa
Perry County
Outstanding Woman in Agri Business
Sponsor: Ill. Agri Women Evelyn Thomas with Brandt
Pleasant Plains
Sangamon County
Outstanding Illinois Woman Farmer
Sponsor: Ill. Agri Women Joanie Schone
Jacksonville
Morgan County
Pork Producer Family of the Year
Sponsor: Ill. Pork Producers Association Dunkirk
Family
Gary and Marietta Dunkirk
Dereke and Chelsea Dunkirk
Morrisonville
Christian County
Ill. Beef Association Farm Family of the Year
Sponsor: Ill. Beef Association Kocher Farms
Jacob and Anna Kocher
Henry
Marshall County
Outstanding Farm Family – Ill. Farm Bureau
Sponsor: Ill. Farm Bureau Matt and Kim DeBlock
Aledo
Mercer County
Farm Family of the Year – Ill. State Grange
Sponsor: Ill. State Grange Fay and Donna
Ellwanger
Garden Prairie
Boone County
Illinois Conservation Farm Family Governor's Award
Sponsor: Association of Illinois Soil and Water
Conservation Districts Mark and Marsha Tennis
Sumner
Lawrence County
2011 Outstanding Sheep Breeder
Sponsor: Illinois Lamb and Wool Producers Mike and
Shirley McElvain
Heyworth
McLean County
Ill. Milk Producers' Association Environmental
Stewardship Award
Sponsor: Ill. Milk Producers' Association Macomber
Dairy
Dave and Karen Macomber
Lena
Stephenson County
Service to Illinois Agriculture
Sponsor: Farm Credit Services of Illinois Randy
Miller
Taylorville
Christian County
Friend of Agriculture Award – Ill. Extension
Agricultural Association
Sponsor: Illinois Extension Agricultural Association
Tom Jennings
Springfield
Sangamon County
Best of Show, 2011 Ill. State Fair Wine Competition
Sponsor: Ill. Grape Growers and Vintners Association
Prairie State Winery
Rick Mamoser
Genoa
DeKalb County
Governor's Cup for Illinois-Grown Table White Wine,
2011 Ill. State Fair Wine Competition
Sponsor: Ill. Grape Growers and Vintners Association
Galena Cellars
Christine Lawlor White
Galena
Jo Daviess County
Governor's Cup for Illinios-Grown Rose' Wine, 2011
Ill. State Fair Wine Competition
Sponsor: Ill. Grape Growers and Vintners Association
Kite Hill Vineyard
Barb Bush
Carbondale
Jackson County
Governor's Cup for Illinois-Grown Fruit Wine and
Governor's Cup for Illinois -Grown Dessert Wine, 2011
Ill. State Fair Wine Competition
Sponsor: Ill. Grape Growers and Vintners Association
Pheasant Hollow Winery
Bruce Morgenstern and Denny Franklin
Whittington
Franklin County
Governor's Cup for Illinois-Grown Red Table Wine,
2011 Ill. State Fair Wine Competition
Sponsor: Ill. Grape Growers and Vintners Association
Blue Sky Vineyard
Jim Ewers and Karen Hand
Makanda
Jackson County
Top Award for Red Table Wine from any Appellation,
2011 Ill. State Fair Wine Competition
Sponsor: Ill. Grape Growers and Vintners Association
Hickory Ridge Vineyard
Ron Presswood
Pomona
Jackson County
Top Award for White Table Wine from any Appellation,
2011 Ill. State Fair Wine Competition
Sponsor: Ill. Grape Growers and Vintners Association
Blue Sky Vineyard
Jim Ewers and Karen Hand
Makanda
Jackson County
Top Award for Fruit/Dessert Wine from Any
Appellation, 2011 Ill. State Fair Wine Competition
Sponsor: Ill. Grape Growers and Vintners Association
Galena Cellars
Christine Lawlor White
Galena
Jo Daviess County
Illinoisan of the Day
Sponsor: Illinois State Fair Museum Foundation
Brenda Besse
Erie
Whiteside County
Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year 2011
Sponsor: American Forest Foundation – Ill. Tree Farm
Committee Jerry Mizek
Jerry Mizek
Elizabeth
Jo Daviess County
Conservation Stewardship District Conservationist of
the Year
Sponsor: Ill. Stewardship Alliance Kent Bohnhoff
Bloomington
McLean County
R.J. Vollmer Sustainable Agriculture Farmer
Sponsor: Ill. Department of Agriculture Jack
Erisman
Pana
Christian County
Ill. Leadership Council for Agriculture Education
Excellence Award - Education Area
Sponsor: lll. Leadership Council for Agricultural
Education Mark Williams
Springfield
Sangamon County
Ill. Leadership Council for Agriculture Education
Excellence Award - Agribusiness Area
Sponsor: Ill. Leadership Council for Agricultural
Education Bill Davisson
Bloomington
McLean County
Ill. Leadership Council for Agriculture Education
Excellence Award - Media Area
Sponsor: Ill. Leadership Council for Agricultural
Education Barb Baylor Anderson
Edwardsville
Madison County
Perry Schneider Award of Special Recognition
Sponsor: Ill. Leadership Council for Agricultural
Educaiton Randall Lloyd
Normal
McLean County
Perry Schneider Award of Special Recognition
Sponsor: Ill. Leadership Council for Agricultural
Educaiton Martha Burris
Newman
Douglas County
Perry Schneider Award of Special Recognition
Sponsor: Ill. Leadership Council for Agricultural
Educaiton Susan Kleiboeker
Shattuc
Marion County
Perry Schneider Award of Special Recognition
Sponsor: Ill. Leadership Council for Agricultural
Educaiton Carol Jo Beadles
Albion
Edwards County
Perry Schneider Award of Special Recognition
Sponsor: Ill. Leadership Council for Agricultural
Educaiton Warren Ribley
Springfield
Sangamon County
Outstanding Elementary Teacher
Sponsor: Ag-in-the-Classroom Dr. Kammie Richter
Oakwood Junior High School
Danville
Vermilion County
Excellence in Teaching Award-District 1
Sponsor: Ill. Association of Vo-Ag Teachers Jay
Solomonson
Orion High School
Excellence in Teaching Award-District 2
Sponsor: Ill. Association of Vo-Ag Teachers
Brandon Tate
Ridgeview High School
Excellence in Teaching Award-District 3
Sponsor: Ill. Association of Vo-Ag Teachers
Kevin Brannan
Carrollton High School
Excellence in Teaching Award-District 4
Sponsor: Ill. Association of Vo-Ag Teachers
Marty Niehaus
Hillsboro High School
Excellence in Teaching Award-District 5
Sponsor: Ill. Association of Vo-Ag Teachers
Lynne Wilson
Johnston City High School