For most young exhibitors, becoming Grand Champion at the Illinois State Fair is a dream come true. Kade Gensini, exhibitor of the Grand Champion Steer, expresses his awe by saying, “I don’t feel like that’s even happened.”
Olivia Shike, exhibitor of the Grand Champion Barrow and Grand Champion Land of Lincoln Barrow, adds, “This has definitely been a dream of mine for years. I’ve been going to the State Fair since I was 10 years old and have always wanted to come here.”
But dreams don’t come true without the hard work of exhibitors and their families.
I think the most important thing about this win for me is that it really was a family win. I’m really thankful for the work that my two siblings did at the barn.” – Olivia Shike, Grand Champion Barrow & Land of Lincoln Barrow Exhibitor
Although every year at the Sale of Champions is special, this year was extra special as two new records were broken.
“The Land of Lincoln Steer,” exhibited by Chace Riley of Grundy County, sold for a record $65,000 thanks to Brandt Agriculture, Senator Sue Rezin and friends of Chace Riley.
To hold a Land of Lincoln Champion title, the cattle must have been born and raised in Illinois. Olivia Shike explains, “So that means we have some really incredible breeders here.”
The second record was set for the coveted final auction item, the Grand Champion Steer. This year the Grand Champion Steer was exhibited by Kade Gensini of Putnam County.
The previous record, set by MK Pritzker, was $105,000. The governor announced that he and the First Lady would match that record, but friends of the Gensini family also came together and raised an additional five thousand dollars, making this year’s record $110,000.
When Newschannel20’s Eliza Petry spoke with Kade Gensini, he said that while it is exciting to be part of a historic auction year, he and his family are not in it for the money, noting that the teamwork required to make it to the Sale of Champions is more valuable.
Proceeds from the auction are divided among the Grand Champion exhibitors, the Reserve Grand Champion exhibitors, and the 4H and FFA. These exhibitors typically use their winnings for further education or reinvest the money in their projects.
The Governor announced that the Grand Champion Steer will be donated to Feeding Illinois and distributed to food banks across our state, so the Sale of Champions of Night was not only an investment in the future of agriculture, but also helped those in need.
