MARYSVILLE, Ohio — The 33rd Ohio Beef Expo was March 18-21 at the Ohio Expo Center, in Columbus. This year’s event, hosted by the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, was a producer-focused event to provide critical farm income for the cattle families and rural small businesses that participate in it.
Despite this year’s challenges, the expo successfully hosted breed shows and sales, a retail trade show and a youth cattle show. The association followed an approved COVID-19 plan for the expo that required postponing many other traditional events and seminars.
Trade show
The expo kicked off with the retail trade show. Sullivan Supply was selected as the premier large booth exhibitor, Honey Creek Western Wear was the premier small booth exhibitor and Umbarger Show Feeds was awarded the premier outdoor booth exhibitor. The premier Genetic Pathway exhibitor was Breeder’s World.
Shows and sales
Four breeds hosted shows March 19 to display cattle being sold in the sales. The Genetic Pathway, in the ShowBloom Breed’s Barn, showcased the industry’s most popular sires and donor prospects on display throughout the weekend.
The seven breed sales had a reformatted sale schedule and a new sale ring concept to promote social distancing. A total of 250 live lots were sold at an average of $3,524 with a gross of $927,235.
March 19 was the annual Internet Feeder Cattle Sale that offered consignments of uniform packages of feeder cattle sold off the farm. This year’s sale included 27 lots with 2,733 total head.
Awards
Two recipients were honored with the Friend of the Expo Award for their dedication and contributions to the expo’s annual success. Because the 2020 Ohio Beef Expo was cancelled, the honor was extended to Frank Phelps, of Logan County, and AMW (Athens, Meigs and Washington counties) Cattlemen’s Association again this year.
Junior
The junior show portion began March 19 with showmanship, followed by the market animal show March 20 and the heifer show March 21. Junior showmanship was judged by Brad and Amber Seiss, of Thurmont, Maryland.
Joe Rathmann, of Smithville, Texas, assessed this year’s market animal show, and Kyle Conley, of Sulpher, Oklahoma was the judge for the heifer show. A combined total of nearly 900 head from across the state were evaluated.
Results
During the expo, volunteers signed up and renewed nearly 150 association members. Current or new members also had the opportunity to win prizes, such as a cooler, semen tank and a wood-pellet-fired grill.
Sale and show results can be found at ohiobeefexpo.com along with a complete list of the event’s sponsors. The dates for the 2022 Ohio Beef Expo are March 17-20. Visit ohiobeefexpo.com for more information as well as complete coverage of the 2021 event.
