What the Sale of Champions Is
The Sale of Champions closes the Ohio State Fair. The top junior market animals shown at the fair are auctioned to buyers on the final Sunday, and the bidding is meant to reward the young exhibitors who raised them. The 2026 sale was held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 9, 2026, in the Celeste Center at the Ohio Expo Center, and the public could watch in person or online at ohiochannel.org, ocj.com or on Facebook.
How the Sale Works
Each champion has a cap on how much money the exhibitor can receive. Money bid above the cap goes to the Virgil L. Strickler Youth Reserve Program, which funds scholarships, agricultural education, leadership development and other youth programs. Amounts paid above an animal's market value are tax deductible and go through the Ohio Expositions and State Fair Fund at The Columbus Foundation.
Before the 2026 sale, the Youth Reserve Program had distributed $5,619,150, benefiting more than 45,000 Ohio youth.
Who Sells
The champions come from the junior shows run during the fair: beef, swine, sheep, goats, poultry and dairy. Junior exhibitors must be enrolled in a 4-H or FFA project and enter online by the deadline (1 p.m. on June 21 in 2026). Late entries are not accepted for junior animals. Market animal ownership dates in 2026 were January 1 for beef, May 1 for goats, May 23 for swine and lambs, and June 1 for dairy feeders and rabbits.
The 2026 Results
| Lot | Exhibitor (county) | Price | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Champion Market Beef | Rees Toler (Gallia) | $55,000 | $25,000 |
| Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef | Addie Wilson (Harrison) | $55,000 | $18,000 |
| Grand Champion Market Barrow | Parker Elchinger (Henry) | $50,000 | $13,000 |
| Reserve Grand Champion Market Barrow | Victoria Gossard (Allen) | $30,000 | $9,000 |
| Grand Champion Market Lamb | Carson Nahrup (Warren) | $31,000 | $13,000 |
| Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb | Peyton Courtright (Fairfield) | $15,000 | $9,000 |
| Grand Champion Meat Chickens | Ali Genter (Fulton) | $21,000 | $7,000 |
| Reserve Grand Champion Meat Chickens | Alec Genter (Fulton) | $10,500 | $5,000 |
| Grand Champion Market Goat | Briley Ashcraft (Athens) | $30,000 | $8,000 |
| Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat | Jada Shroyer (Logan) | $12,000 | $4,000 |
| Grand Champion Market Turkey | Alexandra Kinney (Logan) | $22,000 | $6,000 |
| Reserve Grand Champion Market Turkey | Alivia Kinney (Logan) | $15,000 | $3,000 |
The sale total was $396,500, and $267,500 of that, the amount above the caps, went to the Youth Reserve Program. The Reserve Grand Champion Market Turkey was new to the Sale of Champions in 2026, and its price was a record for the class.
Buyers included Steve R. Rauch, Inc. (both market beef champions), a group of Nationwide, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and Bob Evans Farms (grand champion barrow), Kroger, Cooper Farms and many Ohio businesses and families who bid together. Champion dairy exhibitors and the Supreme Showmen were also recognized.
Where and When
Celeste Center, Ohio Expo Center, 717 East 17th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43211. The sale starts at 1 p.m. on the final Sunday of the fair. The 2027 Ohio State Fair runs July 28 to August 8, and 2027 competition information had not been posted at the time of writing.
Questions
Does the exhibitor keep all of the sale money?
No. The exhibitor receives the capped amount for the class, and everything above the cap goes to the Youth Reserve Program.
Who do I call about premiums?
The Ohio State Fair entry department, 614-644-4052. Exhibitors age 18 or older who receive $2,000 or more in premiums must register with Ohio Pays.
Official Links
- Junior livestock competitions: deadlines, ownership dates and Sale of Champions broadcast
- 2026 Sale of Champions results: champions, buyers, prices and caps
- Junior swine show: swine rules, barrow caps and schedule
Ohio County Fairs and Junior Livestock Shows: The Essentials
Ohio's 2026 fair season listed 94 county and independent fairs plus the Ohio State Fair, running from the Paulding County Fair on June 6 to the Fairfield County Fair ending October 17, per Spectrum News.
State fair
The Ohio State Fair ran July 29 to August 9 in Columbus, and its preliminary livestock schedule put the Sale of Champions on August 9.
Rules and dates
Statewide, market animal exhibitors must finish Quality Assurance at least 45 days before the show, and leasing market animals is not allowed, per the livestock rules overview. Ownership and tagging dates vary by county. Lucas County, for example, set a January 1 ownership date for market beef, per its livestock rules.
Next steps
Ask your county Extension office or FFA advisor for your fair book, tagging dates and sale rules. Weights and entry limits differ by fair, and Pickaway County, for instance, caps exhibitors at 10 animals with no more than 5 market animals. Put QA, tagging and registration dates on one calendar the day you receive them.
Read the full guide: Ohio County Fairs and Junior Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
The 107th Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting brought members to downtown Columbus for two days. Held each year; the most recent dates were December 11-12, 2025.
- Ohio Beef Expo
The Ohio Cattlemen's Association hosts the Ohio Beef Expo at the Ohio Expo Center, with seedstock sales, youth steer and heifer shows and a trade show. Held each year; the most recent dates were March 19-22, 2026.
- Franklin County Fair
Franklin County hosts its fair in Hilliard over seven days in late July, with harness racing alongside the 4-H Junior Fair program. Held each year; the most recent dates were July 20 to July 26, 2026.
Hilliard, OH | Organizer: Franklin County Agricultural Society Official event details - Ohio State Fair Junior Swine Show
Junior purebred gilts show July 30 and junior market barrows show August 6-7 in the O'Neill Swine Barn, with barrows weighed between 220 and 290 pounds. Held each year; the most recent dates were July 28 to August 9, 2026.
- Ohio State Fair
The Ohio State Fair runs twelve days at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, with junior livestock shows and the Sale of Champions. Held each year; the most recent dates were July 29 to August 9, 2026.
717 East 17th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43211 | 888-646-3976 Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.