CATTLE CONCEPTS
| ILLINOIS BEEF ASSOCIATION | SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS |
Show Results
Top 5 Market Animals - Ring A
Judge: Krisha Geffert
Grand: McKlay Gensini (AOB)
Reserve: Charlee Jones (XBred)
3rd: Hunter Heckman (Res. XBred)
4th: McKlay Gensini (3rd XBred)
5th: Cole Caldwell (Chianina)
Top 5 Market Animals - Ring B
Judge: Jerrod Arthur
Grand: Hunter Heckman (XBred)
Reserve: Charlee Jones (Res. XBred)
3rd: Aliana Hankes (Maine)
4th: McKlay Gensini (3rd XBred)
5th: John Nightingale (Chianina)
Top 5 Breeding Heifers - Ring A
Judge: Jerrod Arthur
Grand: Breckyn Bloomberg (%Simm)
Reserve: McKlay Gensini (Maintn.)
3rd: Avery Seys (Maine-Angus)
4th: Mabrey Schick (Angus)
5th: Brecke Barnard (Charolais)
Top 5 Breeding Heifers - Ring B
Judge: Krisha Geffert
Grand: Breckyn Bloomberg (%Simm)
Reserve: Brenna Wilkins (Chianina)
3rd: McKlay Gensini (Maintainer)
4th: Tucker Bayer (Angus)
5th: Avery Seys (Maine-Angus)
2026 ILLINOIS BEEF EXPO
I am still reveling in the magical glow and light-dusty haze of the Coliseum from that weekend in February. The move North from the Livestock Center to the Coliseum has been a dream we have craved and whispered about since I began here at the Association four years ago. Of course, with change comes challenge and the worry of new logistics, acceptance, and overall thoughts of “will this work,” but my sentiments are the same of those echoing around the barns and the stock-talk here in weeks after the expo – amazement and success. The photographic eye in me wants to say it was the best beef expo ever simply because of the luminescence and beautiful photos I was able to capture that weekend, but aside from that, it truly felt like it topped the charts of Illinois Beef Expos for more than just myself, and on every level - the ring flow, that temperature balance, the space, the proximity to the tradeshow and central location for every scheduled event here on the grounds is undeniably what hit the ball out of the park on this huge change of moving the junior events and show down to the Coliseum.
The weekend kicked off with the Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale that offered bulls of the highest performance genetics from a variety of breeds. In its 58th year, the sale continues its success, reaching an all-time high average of $7,284 on 37 lots. Travis Meteer, IPT sale manager and University of Illinois Beef Extension commercial education and beef cattle specialist, along with his regular team of sale staff and volunteers, never fails to prioritize consignors and their high-caliber bulls, making this sale not only a showcase opportunity and annual check for those consigners, but a industry highlight event amongst commercial producers across the state. The Multi-Breed Female sale
and Collection Genetics sale also hit notable marks topping the averages from year’s past, while featuring quality females and genetics that improve year after year.
Friday was personally my favorite day – junior events day. The morning kicked off with yet another recordbreaking event, the Livestock Judging Contest coordinated by Black Hawk College East-Campus Livestock Judging Team hosted nearly 600 4-H and FFA juniors from across the state. The Skillathon hosted another plethora of juniors, testing their beef cattle knowledge and gunning for a top ten spot. Friday evening was where it all came together for me. With 28 juniors, 7 chutes, 4 judges, and one outstanding comeback, the junior fitting contest returned to the Illinois Beef Expo. With the help of Sullivan’s Supply as the contest sponsor, Riley Lorenz, and I were able to reinvigorate excitement amongst juniors and bring this contest back to life. As the thirtyminute timer began and the sound of spray cans, clippers, and teammate whispers filled the Coliseum, I turned to Riley and went in for a terribly chaotic high-five as I fumbled the microphone, phone timer, and camera in my hands, because we had done it.
We had brought yet another engaging and educational piece to beef expo, and these juniors loved it. The stands around the coliseum were filled with parents, siblings, friends, onlookers, and more to what the excitement and teamwork flow around these fitting chutes. I was truly honored to be part of the resurrection and success of the newly improved fitting contest and cannot wait to see how it grows and flourishes in the future, along with the many other junior opportunities to come.
The annual IJBA Winter Meeting was also a widely attended junior event on Friday. The IJBA Board of Directors
Illinois Beef Foundation Scholarship Recipients
Junior Scholarship Recipients
Junior Scholarship Recipients Aidan Knobloch, Buckingham Macie Carroll, Mount Carroll
Ella Eathington, Avon Lane Perry, Paris
Consignor: The Curtin Family; Travis, Tanner & Brooklyn Lot Type: IVF Flush Cycle
announced the 2025 IJBA Top Ten Points Program Winners, 2026 Foundation Scholarship Recipients, and IJBA Photography Contest results, along with shared updates and savethe-dates for this summer’s upcoming junior programs.
And finally, the highlight of it all – the junior show. I could go on and on about the many successes, achievements, and champions from that weekend, but you’ll read more about that in the Illinois Beef Expo section here in the magazine, so I won’t waste ink duplicating those results. What I want to share however, is a reiteration of something one of our judges, Jerrod Arthur (Okla.) said in his champion drive monologue – he mentioned that the most important part of all of this, is the time you spend, the hours you put it, and the memories you make with your family and friends at events like these. As the IJBA coordinator, that is what I genuinely care about. Not every one of these juniors get to go home with a buckle or banner, or even an envelope of payouts – but every single one will leave with their family, with new memories, and new friends. The ringside smiles, the exit gate hugs and pats on the back, the rush of young kids down the barn walkways, the conversations and the “thank yous” and “good jobs” are what hold the most power and meaning from events like this.
So I will wrap it all up with this – thank you and good job – to the juniors, the parents, the breeders, the crews, the IBA staff, the IBE Board of Directors, the volunteers, the coordinators, Cori Malone and Riley Lorenz, the sale managers, the consignors, the bidders and buyers, the tradeshow exhibitors, the sponsors, the attendees, everyone who stepped foot on the fairgrounds February 19-22 – thank you and good job.
by Devin Bollman Senior
Scholarship Recipients
Conley Schick, Clinton
Grace Lemenager, Fairbury
Kendall Boatman, Rockford
Ellie Drach, Pontiac
Top Ten Exhibitors
IJBA Points Show Program
2025 Top Ten Exhibitors - Steer Division Lane Mollett, Sorento Kinley Stolte, Nokomis Skylar Stewart, Nokomis Myah Little, Murrayville Brayden Richardson, Jacksonville Connor Suits, Rantoul Cruz Hill, Neoga Lilly Gillespie, Toulon Braxton Williamson, Shelbyville Blake Hanke, Carlyle
2025 Top Ten Exhibitors - Heifer Division Reese Holst, Augusta Addison Bartlow, Monitcello Jocelyn Ruppert, Witt Cole Riemann, Raymond Nash Lowderman, Macomb Jemma Dorsey, Moro Ella Eathington, Avon Cole Glick, LaPrairie Case Isringhausen, Jerseyville Claire Dorsey, Moro
Cimeron Frost Memorial
Cimeron Frost Memorial Grand Champion Heifer Breckyn Bloomberg, Secor
IJBA Photography Contest Results
