Holmes carcass show exemplifies high standards

What do external fat measure, yield grade, kidney, pelvic and heart fat, select and prime have to do with the Holmes County Fair?

Those are all some of the areas in which the top 10 placers at the Holmes County Fair in the junior fair animal contest in steer, hog and lamb were judged during the 2023 Holmes County Fair Carcass Show held Thursday, Aug. 17 at Sugar Valley Meats, where judges Darian Brooks and Emily Reer from The Ohio State University determined what mattered not on the outside of the animals but the meat on the inside.

For years now, the carcass show has gone widely unrecognized because it comes nearly a full week after the fair has officially concluded, but that doesn’t take away the importance of the show.

“With the fair over and school getting into gear, it does kind of go unnoticed by a lot of people, but this show is extremely important,” said Janessa Hill, Ohio State Holmes County Extension Office educator. “This is an awesome opportunity to see and experience the culmination of all of the hard work these young people have put into their animals for months. It’s important for them to see how the end result pays off and the type of quality they have raised in their animal as it pertains to the consumer.”

Over the years, the judges from The Ohio State University have reiterated to the youth in attendance the importance of the carcass show and the simple fact that while the animals are judged for their performance during the fair, the final result of the meat quality continues to be the most important factor, because in raising meat animals, that is what eventually ends up on dining room tables across the state and beyond.

In the Lamb Carcass show, Mylee Mosher emerged victorious as the grand champion, followed in order by Taelor Patterson, who was reserve grand champion, Reid Coleman, Addyson Miller, Kaitlyn Klink, Cora Crilow, Cody Gingerich, Derek Coleman, Chloe Patten and Katelyn Coleman.

In the Pork Carcass competition, last year’s reserve grand champion took one big step forward in capturing the grand champion banner. Cole Rusk claimed that title, followed in turn by Nathan Sprang, who was reserve grand champion, Chloe Patten, Sam Sprang, Ethan Feikert, Billy Patten, Graham Martin, Tucker Harris and Lilly Perry.

The Beef Carcass judging was hotly contested, with Brystin Giauque eventually coming away with the grand champion banner, while Pacee Miller, no stranger to the carcass show judging, earned the reserve grand champion nod. The rest of the field in order of finish included Sophia Stitzlein, Miley Snow, Casey Ogi, Alli Milner, Derek Miller, Hayden Smith, Ashton Miller and Paulina Milner.

For Giauque, it marked a double victory since she also walked away with the grand champion steer at the fair, a rare double-double.

“It happens from time to time,” Hill said.

Hill went on to note that the reason the champion and reserve champion can come from any of the Top 10 is due to the investment the kids make in raising their animals the right way.

“Every year our judges are always very impressed with the quality of the meat in our Holmes County animals, and that is always a very gratifying feeling for everyone involved,” Hill said. “I think the big thing for us is that our kids and their families tend to go above and beyond what is expected in raising their animals. For them, it’s not just an end to the means where they make money from the sale. They truly care about doing things the right way, and that effort shows in the carcass show.”

One thing that changed this year was the way the carcass show was presented. Prior to this, each class of animals was shown in succession starting around 4:30 p.m., but this year all of the classes came together for an evening show, which they all attended together.

Hill said Sweet Breeze Farms provided hot dogs, chips, cookies and beverages for those who attended, and the fellowship was enjoyable.

She also said it allowed the youth from each class a chance to see and hear about other animals, which might entice them to raise something new down the road.

“It was a great experience, and we had a really nice turnout,” Hill said. “I think we’ll stick with this new format because everyone seemed to like it because we were able to accommodate more families.”

As has always been the case, the top 10 placers in the beef, pig and lamb classes for the carcass judging show put a giant positive exclamation point on the Holmes County Fair’s 100th anniversary celebration.