Sale of Champions raises $396,500 to close out 2026 Ohio State Fair

The 2026 Ohio State Fair concluded Sunday with the Sale of Champions, generating $396,500 in total sales to recognize Ohio’s top junior livestock exhibitors and support youth programs across the state.

Of that total, $270,500 was raised for the Virgil L. Strickler Youth Reserve Program, which has awarded $5,247,150 to more than 46,473 youth since its inception in 1995.

There were a few new buyers this year, including Linde’s Livestock Photos, Joe Dirt Co., Rebco Electric, and Braman Technologies.

The top-selling animals of the day were the Grand Champion Market Beef exhibited by Rees Toler of Gallia County and the Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef exhibited by Addie Wilson of Harrison County. Steve R. Rauch, Inc. purchased each for $55,000.

New to the Sale of Champions this year was the addition of the Reserve Grand Champion Market Turkey. Alivia Kinney of Logan County earned the honor, with her turkey selling for $15,000 to Mark and Megan Kvamme and family.

The addition made an already memorable fair even more notable for the Kinney family. Siblings dominated the Poultry Barn this year, with two families sweeping the grand and reserve champion honors. Alexandra and Alivia Kinney of Logan County exhibited the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Market Turkeys, respectively, while Fulton County siblings Ali and Alec Genter exhibited the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Meat Chickens.

For the exhibitors earning a place in the Sale of Champions, the day represented the culmination of months of work. For some, this year’s accomplishments carried even more meaning as they made their final trip through the junior fair show ring.

Both the Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat exhibitors were in their final year of eligibility. Briley Ashcraft of Athens County capped off her junior show career by earning the Grand Champion Market Goat title.

“I was just super excited when the judge came to shake my hand,” Ashcraft said. “I just really couldn’t believe it.”

Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat exhibitor Jada Shroyer of Logan County was also closing out a successful junior show career that included two previous wins in the Ohio State Fair Market Goat Show and a Grand Champion Market Lamb title in 2025.

“It’s been a great run,” Shroyer said. “. This will be my last year showing in the 4-H barn. I’m super excited. It’s been a great career.”

With the final bids placed, the Sale of Champions brought another Ohio State Fair to a close while celebrating this year’s champions and continuing an investment in the next generation of Ohio agriculture.

2026 Sale of Champions

• Grand Champion Market Beef: Rees Toler, Gallia County — $55,000, purchased by Steve R. Rauch, Inc.
• Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef: Addie Wilson, Harrison County — $55,000, purchased by Steve R. Rauch, Inc.
• Grand Champion Market Barrow: Parker Elchinger, Henry County — $50,000, purchased by Bob Evans Farms, Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.
• Reserve Grand Champion Market Barrow: Victoria Gossard, Allen County — $30,000, purchased by The Kroger Company, A.G. Boogher and Son, Schmidt’s Sausage Haus, Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association, All American Quarter Horse Congress, Expo Services and OKI.
• Grand Champion Market Lamb: Carson Nahrup, Warren County — $31,000, purchased by Rebco Electric, Braman Technologies, Faith Driving School, Kroger and Joe Dirt Company.
• Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb: Peyton Courtright, Fairfield County — $15,000, purchased by Mark and Megan Kvamme and Family and the Ohio Fund.
• Grand Champion Meat Chickens: Ali Genter, Fulton County — $21,000, purchased by The Kroger Co. and G&J Pepsi.
• Reserve Grand Champion Meat Chickens: Alec Genter, Fulton County — $10,500, purchased by Event Marketing Strategies, Talley Amusements and Linde’s Livestock Photos.
• Grand Champion Market Turkey: Alexandra Kinney, Logan County — $22,000, purchased by Mark and Megan Kvamme and Family, the Ohio Fund, Cooper Farms, A.G. Boogher and Son and Turner Green.
• Reserve Grand Champion Market Turkey: Alivia Kinney, Logan County — $15,000, purchased by Mark and Megan Kvamme and Family and the Ohio Fund.
• Grand Champion Market Goat: Briley Ashcraft, Athens County — $30,000, purchased by Schmidt’s Sausage Haus, OKI, Inc., Shroyer Sisters Showstock, Expo Services, Metropolis, Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association and All-American Quarter Horse Congress.
• Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat: Jada Shroyer, Logan County — $12,000, purchased by The Kroger Company.
• Grand Champion Swiss Cheese: Produced by Pearl Valley Cheese, Fresno — $50,000, purchased by Vivek Ramaswamy and Rob McColley for Ohio and A.G. Boogher and Son. The cheese represented Grand Champion Ayrshire exhibitor Carli Binckley, Columbiana County; Grand Champion Brown Swiss exhibitor Amelia Baumer, Shelby County; Grand Champion Guernsey exhibitor Olivia Dicke, Mercer County; Grand Champion Holstein and Grand Champion Jersey exhibitor Lane Francis, Darke County; Grand Champion Red and White exhibitor Hanna Froelich, Wayne County; Grand Champion Milking Shorthorn exhibitor Alaina Topp, Shelby County; Week 1 Supreme Showman Carli Binckley, Columbiana County; and Week 2 Supreme Showman Ava Lahmers, Union County.