CATTLE CONCEPTS
| ILLINOIS BEEF ASSOCIATION |
Show Results
Top 5 Market Animals - Ring A
Judge: Tyler Norvell
Grand: McKlay Gensini (XBred)
Reserve: Regan Suddeth (Rs. XBred)
Third: Kashen Ellerbrock (Chi)
Fourth: Colton Huls (AOB)
Fifth: Keegan Murphy (Angus)
Top 5 Market Animals - Ring B
Judge: Brady Jensen
Grand: McKlay Gensini (XBred)
Reserve: Kashen Ellerbrock (Chi)
Third: Colton Huls (AOB)
Fourth: Tanner Foose (Maine)
Fifth: McKlay Gensini (Rs. Maine)
Top 5 Breeding Heifers - Ring A
Judge: Brady Jensen
Grand: Keegan Bohnsack (Lim -Flex)
Reserve: Reece THoreson (Comm.)
Third: Breckyn Bloomberg (%Simmental)
Fourth: Avery Seys (Chi)
Fifth: Ty Pezonoski (Hn. Hereford)
Top 5 Breeding Heifers - Ring B
Judge: Chad Holtkamp
Grand: Keegan Bohnsack (Lim -Flex)
Reserve: Breckyn Bloomberg (%Simm)
Third: Ellie Drach (Simmental)
Fourth: Carter Hoge (Maine)
Fifth: Avery Seys (Chi)
2025 ILLINOIS BEEF EXPO
Last week we were busy kicking off the 2025 Illinois Beef Expo while simultaneously fighting the below freezing temperatures here in Springfield, Illinois. The excitement of what was occurring here on the state fair grounds was enough to keep us going and heated as we pushed through yet another fantastic Illinois Beef Expo.
I am shocked every year at how much we pack into four short days, including the three livestock sales, breed banquets, junior activities, tradeshow, contests and, of course, the three-day junior show - this year bringing in 615 entries.
The Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale kicked off our expo with an outstanding bull sale. Travis Meteer of University of Illinois Beef Extension does an incredible job putting together a top quality set of bulls from a variety of seedstock producers across the state. The lot average reached a record high with a 40% increase at $7,096/ head. I cannot begin to express how proud I am of this sale’s success and what this means for the future of Illinois’ seedstock industry.
Thursday evening we introduced a new feature to the Illinois Beef Expo, a trade show reception highlighting the wide array of vendors and sponsors we host at our event. Parents dropped their kids off at the Kids Korner and walked around chatting with vendors and sponsors, shopping and enjoying a variety of beef hors d’oeuvres
by Devin Bollman
catered by Poe’s Catering. This was an exciting addition to our expo and we were thrilled to see such a great turn out.
Friday morning began the plethora of junior activities and events with the livestock judging contest hosted by Black Hawk East’s livestock judging team. This contest is widely attended by 4-H and FFA teams and is always a great success. The Illinois Skill-AThon team hosted a skill-a-thon in the afternoon, giving juniors yet another opportunity to hone in on their skills and education for the chance to win. Both events bring in such a huge crowd of young ag and beef enthusiasts.
The Illinois Junior Beef Association hosted it’s winter meeting where they announced the 2024 top ten points show exhibitors for the steer and heifer divisions, the 2025 Illinois Beef Foundation scholarship recipients, and new this year, announced the winners for the IJBA Photography Contest. We were so excited to add this contest to the junior opportunities and thrilled to have nearly 50 entries in this first year. The photography contest gives juniors the opportunity to showcase their talents and creativity from behind the lens, and man do these juniors have talent!
Beyond the junior events, Friday was host to the Illinois Multi Breed Female Sale where yet another set of top quality cattle were put together. Sale attendance was fantastic and
Illinois Beef Foundation Scholarship Recipients
Junior Scholarship Recipients
Ben Sellmeyer, Maroa
Conley Schick, Clinton
Kade Boatman, Rockford
Kendall Boatman, Rockford
IJBA Photography Contest Results
Junior - Cattle Division
1st Place - Evan Hebert, Owaneco
2nd Place - Zac Alfrey, Elmwood
3rd Place - Clara Chappel, Bourbonnais
Junior - Cattlemen Division
1st Place - Logan Suits, Rantoul
2nd Place - Maci Beckman, Jerseyville
3rd Place - Amelia Clemens, Chestnut
Cimeron Frost Memorial Grand Champion Heifer Ring B Keegan Bohnsack, Taylor Ridge
the sales report reflects just that along with the quality of the females offered. After the start of the market animal show in the showring, Friday evening wrapped up with the Illinois Simmental Association and Illinois Shorthorn Association annual banquets here on the fairgrounds. On Saturday evening, the Illinois Hereford Association hosted their annual banquet as well. Every year we are so excited these breed associations host their events in conjunction with the Illinois Beef Expo, which brings the entire seedstock industry here in Illinois together for one outstanding expo. I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to be a part of an event like this and feel pride knowing what Illinois’ seedstock industry and juniors can accomplish. From contests showcasing the immense talent of our youth, and sales highlighting our elite cattle and genetic opportunities like that in the Collection Sale, to the high quality cattle being shown in the livestock center just above the coveted trade show - it’s truly something remarkable. Though I experience almost all of it from behind my camera lens, I absorb so much and get the opportunity to capture those moments of friendship in the barns, the thrill of raising that bid card, the comradery of vendors and trade show attendees and, of course, the generations of cattlemen and women taking pride in what they have to offer to our industry.
Senior Scholarship Recipients
Abagayle Britton, Olmstead
Audrey Curtin, Blue Mound
Drew Mickey, Taylorville
Emma Whitaker, Carthage
Intermediate - Cattle Division
1st Place - Macy Hoag, Illinois City
2nd Place - Claire Kuipers, Le Roy
3rd Place - Nolan Lee, Wellington
Intermediate - Cattlemen Division
1st Place - DeLana Robinson, Carlinville
2nd Place - Nolan Lee, Wellington
3rd Place - Claire Kuipers, Le Roy
Top Ten Exhibitors
IJBA Points Show Program
2024 Top Ten Exhibitors - Steer Division Nalaney Guyer, Robinson Kade Gensini, Hennepin Brody Ingram, Winchester Jared Bressner, Graymont Cole Reimann, Raymond Lilly Gillespie, Toulon Dash Simpsen, Downs Waylon Paulek, Stonington Berklee Bedel, Saybrook Kinley Stolte, Nokomis
2024 Top Ten Exhibitors - Heifer Division Jemma Dorsey, Moro Claire Dorsey, Moro Maddox Reedy, Lovington Ashton Dillow, Villa Ridge Paige Lemenager, Hudson Nalaney Guyer, Robinson Kesler Collins, Flanagan Ellie Drach, Pontiac Natalie Dearwester, Camp Point Kinlynn Dryer, Merna
Senior - Cattle Division
1st Place - Campbell Belcher, Buncombe
2nd Place - JadaLea Isles, Owttawa
3rd Place - Lizzie Schafer, Owaneco
Senior - Cattlemen Division
1st Place - JadaLea Isles, Ottawa
2nd Place - Campbell Belcher, Buncombe
3rd Place - Lizzie Schafer, Owaneco
Jim Bloomberg Memorial Award Given to a last-year junior, Emerson Tarr of Le Roy was selected by junior exhibitors as the recipient.
Cimeron Frost Memorial
