Top 10 flipped upside down at Holmes fair’s carcass contest

On Thursday, Aug. 15 at Sugar Valley Meats, the top 10 finishers in the Holmes County Junior Fair Livestock Show in beef, sheep and lamb came together to find out how they placed in the annual carcass show.

The event continues to be a critical one for Holmes County 4-Hers who raise market animals because it shows how much they cared for raising their animals and the importance they put on the nutrition portion of raising them.

Nate Klink, Holmes County Sheep Committee president, said of the carcass show, “We enjoy the competition part of the end product, and it’s a very important step in the fair livestock show. It shows the hard work and is the fruition of the effort each of these young people put into raising their respective animals.”

He said this show provides a second chance to reward those who might not have found the level of success they had hoped for in the live show at the fair in the livestock ring, and they should be proud of producing quality animals to reach this level of competition.

Matt Feikert, Holmes County Senior Fair Board vice president, agreed, noting the carcass show presents a unique look into the raising of market animals, giving insight into what it takes to not only reach this level of competition, but also to raise high-grade animals.

“Theoretically, this carcass show is truly what this project is all about,” Feikert said. “In the end someone is going to eat all of these animals, and the kids have to think about that during the time they are raising the animals. This event rewards the kids who put the time and effort into properly caring for their animals.”

He said just because a 4-Her wins in the live show doesn’t always determine the winner at the carcass show. In fact, rarely does the grand champion of the live show walk away from the carcass show as a double victor.

“The top 10 gets turned on its head here at the carcass show, regardless of which species of animal,” Feikert said. “This is an important and special part of our livestock sale.”

The top 10 for sheep, swine and beef are as follows, with the carcass show placement and name followed by their live show placement in parentheses during the fair.

Sheep

—Grand champion: Blake Patterson (10th).

—Reserve champion: Chloe Patten (reserve champion).

—Third place: Mylee Mosher (grand champion).

—Fourth place: Billy Patten (third).

—Fifth place: Derek Coleman (fourth).

—Sixth place: Katelyn Coleman (sixth).

—Seventh place: Addyson Miller (seventh).

—Eighth place: Madison Pearce-Laferty (fifth).

—Ninth place: Kaitlyn Klink (eighth).

—10th place: James Croskey (ninth).

Swine

—Grand champion: Billy Patten (fifth).

—Reserve champion: Derek Coleman (third).

—Third place: Cole Reusser (10th).

—Fourth place: Zachary Gingerich (sixth).

—Fifth place: Nate Sprang (grand champion).

—Sixth place: Marlee Miller (ninth).

—Seventh place: Graham Martin (eighth).

—Eighth place: Derek Miller (seventh).

—Ninth place: Sam Sprang (grand champion).

—10th place: Zara Shultz (fourth).

Beef

—Grand champion: Rollin Hendrix (ninth).

—Reserve champion: Paulina Milner (grand champion).

—Third place: Alli Milner (third).

—Fourth place: Brystin Giauque (fourth).

—Fifth place: Lainey Schlabach (seventh).

—Sixth place: Miley Snow (fifth).

—Seventh place: Sophia Stitzlein (10th).

—Eighth place: Hayden Smith (reserve champion).

—Ninth place: Emily Harrower (eighth).

—10th place: Austin Bernhart (sixth).

Janessa Hill, educator at the Ohio State University Extension Holmes County who emceed the carcass show, said congratulations should go out to all the top 10 placers and to each of the 4-Hers who invested time, care and expense in raising their animals for this year’s livestock show.