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Illinois ag youth supported through Governor’s Sale of Champions

Record sales were made during the 2022 Illinois State Fair Governor’s Sale of Champions.

The Grand Champion Rabbit Market Pen exhibited by Chesney Thorton of Piatt County sold for $7600, and the Land of Lincoln Supreme Champion Dairy Cow Print exhibited by Kamber Kilgus of Livingston County brought $5500, both the highest in sale history.

A bidding war ensued for the Grand Champion Steer, exhibited by Ashtin Guyer of Scott County, between Governor JB Pritzker and his wife MK Pritzker. The first lady was granted the highest bid at $105,000, tying the record set during the 2021 sale.

Over the last 10 years the CME Group, based in Chicago, has awarded over $350,000 in scholarships to youth during the sale. This year, each Grand Champion exhibitor received a $5,000 scholarship and the top 9 contestants in the skillathon contest received $1,000.

Tim Andreisen with the CME Group tells Brownfield they see it as an investment for the future. “Having a safe, secure, sustainable food supply is critical. We believe it is important the tomorrow’s farmers have a deeper understanding of not just agronomics, but also risk management and financial management. So, anything we can do to push that forward is something we want to be a part of.”

Livestock results from the 2022 Illinois State Fair Governor’s Sale of Champions:

Grand Champion Rabbit Market Pen  $7,600

Exhibited by: Chesney Thorton, Piatt County

Purchased by: Robert Nelson/AgriVest Farm Management, George Obernagel, and Darren Bailey for Governor

Overall Breeding Poultry Champions $5,000

Exhibited by: Natalie Palmquist, Austin Ater and Luke Jesgarz

Purchased by: Marty and Donna Davis-McDondalds

Land of Lincoln Supreme Champion Dairy Cow Print $5,500

Exhibited by: Kamber Kilgus, Livingston County

Purchased by: Midwest Dairy, St. Louis Dairy Council, and friends of Kamber Kilgus

Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Meat Goat $5,500

Exhibited by: Maddox Horner, Jasper County

Purchased by: Jeff Ellerbrock/AgriGold, Hummel Family, Rich Kiefer/Kiefer Farms, Brian Rinderer/AgriGold, and Skyride

Grand Champion Meat Goat $6,500

Exhibited by: Nolan Hoge, McDonough County

Purchased by: George Obernagel, Rich DeSchepper & Eric Faugust/Syngenta and Ed Teefey/Farmer State Bank

Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Market Lamb $5,000

Exhibited by: Nalaney Guyer, Crawford County

Purchased by: Pivot Bio and Springfield Plastics

Grand Champion Market Lamb $8,000

Exhibited by: Carter Hoge, McDonough County

Purchased by: North American Midway Entertainment

Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Barrow $18,000

Exhibited by: Ella Bobell, Logan County

Purchased by: Bayer Crop Science

Grand Champion Barrow $25,000

Exhibited by: Drake Fletcher, Menard County

Purchased by: CME Group

Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Steer $30,000

Exhibited by: Cole Caldwell, Peoria County

Purchased by: BRANDT

Grand Champion Steer $105,000

Exhibited by: Ashtin Guyer, Scott County

Purchased by: MK Pritzker