SEDALIA, Mo. – Blake Gates, son of Brian and Peggy Gates, is the exhibitor of the 2022 Grand Champion Market Pen of Chickens at the Missouri State Fair. Blake is from Cairo, and is a member of the Neighborly Community 4-H club. Blake’s prize-winning pen of chickens weighed an average of 6.1 pounds.
The Reserve Grand Champion Market Pen of Chickens honor went to Porter Kruse of Fairview. He is the son of Kelin and Aubry Kruse and is a member of the County Line 4-H club. Porter’s pen of chickens weighed an average of 6.4 pounds.
On Saturday, Aug. 20, both Blake and Porter will sell their pen of chickens in two of 16 lots offered in the Missouri State Fair Sale of Champions. Proceeds from the annual sale benefit both the winning exhibitors and the Missouri State Fair Youth in Agriculture (YIA) Scholarship Program, administered by the Missouri State Fair Foundation.
Many livestock exhibitors will work toward earning a place in the ring at the time-honored Sale of Champions Auction. Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Steers, Barrows, Lambs, Meat Goats, Pens of Chickens and Pens of Rabbits will be featured in the auction, along with the Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Hams and Bacons. The Sale will be held at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 20, in the Lowell Mohler Assembly Hall. The entire auction will be broadcast live by KMMO radio online and video streamed live by Carter Media at midvid.com. Updates and interviews will be available on KMZU the Farm, 100.7. FM. The auction will also be live on the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Facebook page and live online bidding will be available via LiveAuctions.tv. For more information regarding online bidding please visit the State Fair website.
Through the generous support of YIA sponsors and the Missouri State Fair Foundation, the Missouri State Fair was able to award 46 scholarships in 2021 to Missouri youth. Last year, 34 $1,500 scholarships, one supreme $2,500 scholarship, sponsored by Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners/Sydenstricker Genetics, four supreme $2,500 scholarships, sponsored by the Missouri State Fair Foundation and one $5,000 Wayne Yokley platinum scholarship offered by YIA supporters were awarded to youth across Missouri. Since 1992, the YIA committee has awarded $875,000 in scholarships.
A complete listing of the 2021 YIA sponsors is available on the Fair’s website. A listing of the 2022 sponsors will be posted soon. Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor this year, or receiving more information about sponsorship, can visit the Fair’s website, or contact Chuck Miller at 573-881-3589, Rodney Heimer at 217-257-6182, Caroline Sicht at 573-808-1248 or Mike Williams at 816-797-5450.