History
Established in 1995, the Youth Reserve program’s purpose is to reward junior exhibitors who participate in the Ohio State Fair. Program funds come directly from winning bids that exceed the cap placed on the amount an exhibitor can receive from the Sale of Champions. The funds are then distributed among scholarships, the Outstanding Market Exhibitor program, the Outstanding Breeding Exhibitor program, showmanship, skillathons, the All-Ohio State Fair Band & Youth Choir, 4-H, FFA, and other species and activities.
By the Numbers
- Total amount from sales since 1968 - $8,590,034
- Total amount collected for the Youth Reserve Program - $4,691,150
- Total youth champions honored - 510
- Youth who have benefited from the Youth Reserve Program - More than 44,500
Youth Reserve Program Caps
The generosity of youth supporters and the phenomenal record-breaking 2022 Sale of Champions Livestock Auction has given the Ohio Expositions Commission the opportunity to thoroughly review past data and make future plans, including increasing the caps for all champions in 2023, adding the Reserve Grand Champion Boer Goat, and reevaluating the percentages of distributed funds collected through the Youth Reserve Program.
- Grand Champion Cheese - $9,000
- Grand Champion Turkey - $6,000
- Grand Champion Meat Chickens - $7,000
- Reserve Grand Champion Meat Chickens - $5,000
- Grand Champion Boer Goat - $8,000
- Reserve Grand Champion Boer Goat - $4,000
- Grand Champion Market Lamb - $13,000
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb - $9,000
- Grand Champion Market Barrow - $13,000
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Barrow - $9,000
- Grand Champion Market Beef - $25,000
- Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef - $18,000
Youth Reserve Program Breakdown
Primary Breakdown
The percentages below are outlined for all species except cheese, which is distributed to dairy cattle exhibitors who only have breeding exhibitors, not market exhibitors, and thus have different distributions. All funds awarded through the Youth Reserve Program are cash scholarships to the exhibitors. In a given year, the following percentages are distributed to the exhibitors based on the amount collected over the cap. For example, for a $100,000 sale of the Grand Champion Market Beef at a cap of $25,000, the remaining $75,000 from the Youth Reserve Program would be allocated as follows:
- Outstanding Market Exhibitor – 12%
- Outstanding Breeding Exhibitor – 12%
- Breeding Exhibitors – 15%
- Market Exhibitors – 15%
- Skillathon – 10%
- Showmanship – 15%
- All-Ohio State Fair Band – 2%
- All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir – 2%
- 4-H – 4%
- FFA – 4%
- Scholarships – 7%
- Other Species and Activities – 2%*
Dairy Exhibitor Breakdown
The breakdown below is for dairy breeding exhibitors based upon sales of the Grand Champion Cheese.
- Outstanding Breeding Exhibitor – 24%
- Breeding Exhibitors – 30%
- Skillathon – 10%
- Showmanship – 15%
- All-Ohio State Fair Band – 2%
- All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir – 2%
- 4-H – 4%
- FFA – 4%
- Scholarships – 7%
- Other Species and Activities – 2%*
- Outstanding Market Exhibitor – N/A
- Market Exhibitors – N/A
*Other species and activities include funds to support dairy goats, dogs, llamas, horses, and rabbits.