Five Records Set at 2014 Iowa State Fair Sale of Champions

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Alexis Delaney, of DeWitt, poses with her Reserve Grand Champion FFA Market Hog, family, and buyers after the FFA Sale of Champions

DES MOINES, IA (08/16/2014)(readMedia)-- With a final swing of the gavel, the Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement (IFAA) raised $326,900 for the 16 exhibitors of 4-H and FFA Grand and Reserve Champions in the Sale of Champions Saturday at the 2014 Iowa State Fair.

Five champion records were broken during the Sale.

The Grand Champion 4-H Market Heifer set a new record of $36,500, selling for $6,500 more than the record price set in 2010. The Grand Champion 4-H Market Hog sold for a record $36,000, besting the previous record of $31,000 set in 2012. The Reserve Grand Champion FFA Market Hog sold for a record-breaking $50,000, besting the previous 2008 record by an impressive $24,000. The Grand Champion FFA Market Meat Goat sold for a record $10,600, $3,100 more than the record price set in 2012. The Grand Champion 4-H Market Broiler Pen also set a record at $7,600, besting the previous 2012 record of $7,000.

Participants in the Sale of Champions were asked to find hometown supporters to set a floor price for bidding. The purchaser in the auction paid the difference between the floor price and the final sale price. Each participant in the Sale takes home a check for 80 percent of the animal's sale price. The IFAA keeps 20 percent to fund the scholarship program and cover Sale expenses. In addition to their sale earnings, the exhibitors of the Grand Champion 4-H Market Steer, Grand Champion FFA Market Hog, Grand Champion 4-H Market Lamb and Grand Champion 4-H Breeding Heifer earn the use of a new aluminum livestock trailer for one year courtesy of Featherlite, Inc., of Cresco.

When added with the $231,550 of scholarships and performance and carcass awards presented prior to the Sale, the IFAA bestowed $558,450 on young livestock and poultry exhibitors during the day's event. Since the inception of the Sale of Champions in 1988, the IFAA has given out more than $6.5 million through Sale proceeds and scholarships to deserving youth participating in agricultural-related projects and interested in agricultural-related careers.

"Nothing Compares" to the 2014 Iowa State Fair, August 7-17. The Fairgrounds are located at East 30th and East University Avenue, just 10 minutes east of downtown Des Moines, and are open 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day of the Fair. Exhibit hours may vary. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit iowastatefair.org.

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Note to Editor: A complete list of champion animals, prices, buyers and local support is attached, as well as bios of each of the winners. This information will also available on the Sale of Champions page of the Iowa State Fair website http://www.iowastatefair.org/competition/sale-of-champions/results/ beginning Monday). Please contact your hometown winners for names of local supporters. If you would like a photo of your local champion, please contact the Iowa State Fair Marketing Department by email at marketing@iowastatefair.org or by telephone at 515/262-3111, ext. 204.