MARYSVILLE, Ohio — The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) hosted the Best of the Buckeye show at the Ohio Beef Expo during the junior show on March 18. The Best of the Buckeye program is coordinated by OCA and held in conjunction with the Ohio Beef Expo and Ohio State Fair. The Expo had a strong show with more than 230 head of Best of the Buckeye cattle nominated by youth and breeders, adding more registered animals to the show and increasing the number of classes for several breeds.

The program recognizes top Ohio bred, born and registered calves, along with the breeder and exhibitor, in each breed division at the two shows. Best of the Buckeye provides Ohio seedstock breeders with an enhanced marketing opportunity for Ohio bred, born and registered steers and heifers, creates a source of more moderately priced show steers and heifers by providing a program with awards and prestige, and attracts new participants interested in showing at the Ohio Beef Expo and/or the Ohio State Fair.

New for the 2018 program, a breeder recognition category has been added. All nominating breeders will be recognized on the website at ohiocattle.org and will also be recognized for their honors achieved with the cattle they sell and nominate for the program. All participating breeders are invited to attend the first Best of the Buckeye Breeder Reception preceding the Cattlemen’s Gala on August 25 at Leeds Farm in Ostrander, Ohio.

This year’s sponsoring partners are The Folks Printing and Dickson Cattle Company, heifer division; Jones Show Cattle and R.D. Jones Excavating, steer division; Ohio Ag Equipment and Ohio Cat, scholarship division and Sullivan Supply and Stock Show University, breeder recognition. Thanks to these generous sponsors, $60,000 will be given through premiums at each show, scholarships and awards for both participants and breeders. Every winning Best of the Buckeye exhibitor received a basic premium of $300 for champion, $200 for reserve champion, and $100 for third overall. Ohio breed associations also contributed additional premiums. OCA would like to thank these sponsors for contributing to a successful fifth year of the Best of the Buckeye program.

The local winners of the Ohio Beef Expo event were as follows:

Heifer

Third Overall Chianina Heifer

Breeder: Megan Hunt, New Madison, Ohio – Darke County

Total Premium: $100

Champion Hereford Steer

Breeder: Hill & Hollow Farms, Bradford, Ohio – Darke County

Total Premium: $300