Missouri Announces Grand, Reserve Grand Champ Rabbit Meat Pen

2022 Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen at the Missouri State Fair. Hadley is from Braymer, and is a member of the Braymer FFA chapter. Hadley's prize-winning rabbits weighed an average of 4.7 pounds.

The Reserve Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen honor went to Brayden Gast of Nevada. He is the son of Bryan Gast and Michelle Branham and is a member of Country Clovers 4-H club. Brayden's rabbits weighed an average of 5 pounds.

On Aug. 20, both Hadley and Brayden will sell their rabbits in two of 16 lots offered in the Missouri State Fair Sale of Champions. Proceeds from the annual sale benefit both the winning exhibitors and the Missouri State Fair Youth in Agriculture (YIA) Scholarship Program, administered by the Missouri State Fair Foundation.

Many livestock exhibitors will work toward earning a place in the ring at the time-honored Sale of Champions Auction. Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Steers, Barrows, Lambs, Meat Goats, Pens of Chickens and Pens of Rabbits will be featured in the auction, along with the Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Hams and Bacons. The Sale will be held at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 20 in the Lowell Mohler Assembly Hall. The entire auction will be broadcast live by KMMO radio online and video streamed live by Carter Media at midvid.com. Updates and interviews will be available on KMZU the Farm, 100.7. FM. The auction will also be live on the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Facebook page and live online bidding will be available via LiveAuctions.tv. For more information regarding online bidding please visit the State Fair website.

Through the generous support of YIA sponsors and the Missouri State Fair Foundation, the Missouri State Fair was able to award 46 scholarships in 2021 to Missouri youth. Last year, 34 $1,500 scholarships, one supreme $2,500 scholarship, sponsored by Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners/Sydenstricker Genetics, four supreme $2,500 scholarships, sponsored by the Missouri State Fair Foundation and one $5,000 Wayne Yokley platinum scholarship offered by YIA supporters were awarded to youth across Missouri. Since 1992, the YIA committee has awarded $875,000 in scholarships.

A complete listing of the 2021 YIA sponsors is available on the Fair's website.