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Governor’s Sale of Champions supports ag’s next generation
Governor JB Pritzker says the annual Sale of Champions at the Illinois State Fair is a chance to spotlight the top youth livestock exhibitors in the state.
“On behalf of the entire state of Illinois, congratulations.” He says, “Congratulations on all your successes and today’s outstanding achievement. We can’t wait to see all that you will accomplish in our state’s number one industry.”
For the sixth consecutive year, Pritzker purchased the Grand Champion Steer, which will be donated to Feeding Illinois for distribution to food banks across the state. Kadie Hummel, of Kankakee County, says the $105,000 contribution will further her education in animal science.
“I love showing livestock.” She says, “It’s something I’ve been doing since I was about four years old. I’ve been showing goats mainly for about 15 years, and I’ve shown two Angus steers before this. I’m going to be attending Butler Community College, and I’ll transfer to K-State University.”
AUDIO: Kadie Hummel – Kankakee County
John Ricci, of the CME Group, says the company’s $25,000 purchase of the Grand Champion Barrow and $50,000 contribution to fund $5,000 scholarships are an investment in the future.
“It’s a really neat thing to see this level of engagement, and the work that these students are doing is so critical to the future of agriculture as well as livestock production,” he says.
Illinois Department of Agriculture director Jerry Costello tells Brownfield, “While it’s incredible that these companies are investing, they’re really investing in their future.” He says, “Because all of these kids will work in the agricultural industry. So, the best thing that we can do is pump time, money, and effort into these kids.”
AUDIO: Jerry Costello – IDOA Director
Below are the results of the 2025 Commodity Auction and the 2025 Sale of Champions.
| Commodity | Exhibitor | Location | Purchaser | Price |
| Champion Chihuahua Cheese | V&V Supremo Foods | Chicago, IL | U of I College of ACES | $1,000 |
| Champion 2% Chocolate Milk | Hoffmann Oberweis Dairy | North Aurora, IL | McDonalds – Marty & Donna Davis | $650 |
| Champion 40% Heavy Whipping Cream | Prairie Farms | Rockford, IL | McDonalds – Marty & Donna Davis | $300 |
| Champion Vanilla Ice Cream | Prairie State Ice Cream | Chicago, IL | Ray Jacobs Family | $300 |
| Champion Vanilla Non-Homogenized Whole Milk Yogurt | Deerland Dairy | Freeport, IL | McDonalds – Marty & Donna Davis | $225 |
| Champion Bacon | Jones Meat & Locker | Jacksonville, IL | Turner Farms | $850 |
| Champion Bone-In Ham | Eickman’s Processing Co. Inc. | Seward, IL | Illinois Manufacturers Association | $1,600 |
| Champion Beef Jerky | Jones Meat & Locker | Jacksonville, IL | George Obernagel, Obernagel Family Farms & Joe Hampton | $900 |
| Champion Snack Sticks | Main Street Meat Co. | Roscoe, IL | Cory Craig Auctioneer | $1,025 |
| Champion Cooked Bratwurst | Behrmann Meat & Processing | Albers, IL | Brian Engelmann, Weeke Sales and Service | $1,800 |
| Illinois State Fair Wine Show Champion | Blue Sky Vineyard | Makanda, IL | Mollett Auction Services | $925 |
| Grand Champion Honey | Steven Hinrichs | Rochester, IL | Pour Farm Apiary | $600 |
| Grand Champion Dairy Goat Milk | Lillian Lee | Glenarm, IL | Kevin Carey, Assistant Dean & Director, U of I Extension | $900 |
| Animal | Exhibitor | County | Purchaser | Price |
| Grand Champion Rabbit Market Pen | Conner Robinson | Morgan County | AgriVest Farm Management; Field Level Agriculture; Edward Teefey & Farmers State Bank of Mt. Sterling; and Prairie Land FS | $5,500 |
| Grand Champion Poultry Meat Pen | Austin Ater | Champaign County | McDonalds – Marty & Donna Davis; Illinois Farm Bureau; Champaign County Farm Bureau; Bellflower Seeds | $8,500* |
| Land of Lincoln Supreme Champion Dairy Cow | Owen Halpin | Iroquois County | Friends of Owen Halpin | $18,000* |
| Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Meat Goat | Kadie Hummel | Kankakee County | Springfield Plastics; Illinois State Fair SkyRide; Kiebro Farms; Cardinal Cattle; BL Duke Recycling; Chad McClintock | $6,800 |
| Grand Champion Meat Goat | Maddox Horner | Jasper County | George Obernagel, Obernagel Family Farms | $8,000 |
| Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Market Lamb | Olive Ryan | Christian County | Rich DeSchepper & Eric Faugust; Syngenta; West Central Farm Supply; Channel; J O Harris Equipment; Beck’s Hybrids; Cardinal Cattle | $7,500 |
| Grand Champion Market Lamb | Bryce Clayton | Scott County | North American Midway | $8,500 |
| Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Barrow | Ashley Wiegand | Woodford County | Beck’s Hybrid – Sonny & Scott Beck | $20,000 |
| Grand Champion Barrow | Emma Rhoads | DeKalb County | CME Group | $25,000 |
| Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Steer | John Lukach | LaSalle County | BRANDT; Case IH; Friends of John Lukach | $70,000* |
| Grand Champion Steer | Kadie Hummel | Kankakee County | Governor JB Pritzker and First Lady MK Pritzker | $105,000 |
*Indicates new record
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