Youth Awarded at BEST Banquet

2022-2023 BEST SCHEDULE

The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association’s (OCA) Beef Exhibitor Show Total (BEST) program wrapped up the 2021-2022 BEST season on May 7 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus. Over 800 BEST exhibitors and families gathered to watch youth receive awards for their show success, cattle industry knowledge, photography skills, community service efforts and more. This year’s BEST program featured seven weekends of sanctioned shows that wove their way across the state. It was the biggest season yet with over 676 youth participants showing around 1,030 head of market animals and heifers throughout the season. This season’s sponsoring partners were Ag-Pro Companies and John Deere, Bane-Welker Equipment, Bob Evans Farms, Diamond T Land & Cattle Co., Dickson Cattle Co., D&E Electric – The Young Family, M.H. EBY, Inc., Farm Credit Mid-America, Ohio Farm Bureau, The Folks Printing, Jones Show Cattle, R.D. Jones Excavating, Ricer Equipment and Weaver Livestock. “There is no other program in the country like Ohio’s BEST program,” said Karigan Blue, BEST program coordinator. “We are proud to not only host competitive cattle shows, but additional divisions such as Stockmanship, community service, and more that mold these youth to become the future leaders of our industry.” The banquet kicked off with the annual Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) donation. BEST exhibitors raised money earlier in the year through the Celebrity Showdown and collected pop tabs all year. Over 710 pounds of pop tabs were accumulated and this year’s donation total was $22,948. The highest donations were from HR Cattle Co., Huron County, with $2,025 and Austin Sutherly, Clark County, with $1,300. Brock Perry, Ottawa County, submitted the most pop tabs with 137 pounds. Thanks to the program’s generous sponsors, many door prize giveaways and drawings were held. The hottest drawings were for the BEST trailer, the Buckeye Breeders Series (BBS) trailer (both trailers donated by M.H. EBY) and the John Deere Gator (donated by Ag-Pro). The winners of these prizes receive a full year’s use of the item. The following were this year’s winners: BEST Trailer Kelsie Davis, Lorain County BBS Trailer Jayla Ricer, Pike County John Deere Gator Andrew Johnson, Preble County The Novice Division of BEST includes first year participants. All Novice exhibitors were given an entry into their own unique drawing for every animal they showed at each show throughout the season. This year’s prize was a wrapped show box donated by Weaver Leather Livestock. The winner of the show box was Brade Wright, Perry County. For a full list of this year’s winners visit www.ohiocattle.org. The OCA BEST program functions through the leadership of the BEST Committee. Serving on the BEST Committee are Chairman – Todd Pugh, Stark County; Vice-Chairman – Mark Hara, Franklin County; Karigan Blue, BEST Program Coordinator, Henry County; Drew Baus, Wood County; Kim Herman, Allen County; Ian Van Kirk, Licking County; Roger Hunker, Huron County; Amber Shoemaker, Stark County; Sally Puzacke, Tuscarawas County; Trevor Tom, Muskingum County; Linde Sutherly, Clark County; Erin Alava, Hancock County; Shane Riley, Fayette County; Ben Dickson, Morrow County; and Bill Tom, Ohio State Fair Beef Director. This season’s Junior Representatives were Mckenzie Riley, Fayette County; Grace England, Portage County; Dawson Osborn, Highland County; Rachel O’Reilly, Geauga County; and Payton Shepard, Henry County. England and Riley have completed their term as BEST Junior Representatives and new leadership was announced for the 2022-2023 season. Those individuals are Grant Belleville, Wood County; Gage Farrar, Jackson County; and Luke Schroeder, Defiance County.

Summer Issue 2022 | Ohio Cattleman | 23