For the second time in two years, Sycamore’s Bailey Hunt won the top prize in the Illinois State Fair Junior Poultry Show. Hunt’s champion poultry trio sold at Tuesday’s annual Governor’s Sale of Champions for a total of $5,900. Hunt, who has been exhibiting show birds for nine years, began raising and showing meat birds just three years ago and won Reserve Grand Champion his first year.

“It’s a huge accomplishment for anyone to make it here once, but twice in a row is absolutely outstanding,” said Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford). “It’s great to see someone rewarded for all the hard work that it took to get here.”

“Bailey is a wonderful example of how the 4-H program and showing livestock can build skills, responsibility, self-confidence and success,” said Representative Bob Pritchard (R-Sycamore).  “Competition at the county and state fairs offer an opportunity for youth to demonstrate what they have learned and reward their achievements.”

Each year the Sale of Champions provides an opportunity for the junior producers of the champion animals to raise money that they traditionally put towards college tuition.  The sale is also a fundraiser for the 4-H and FFA programs which each receive 10 percent of the proceeds from each animal.

This year’s Sale of Champions set records in four categories and raised an astounding total of $260,095.

This year’s new records include the Grand Champion Steer at $100,000, Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Steer at $56,300, Grand Champion Barrow (swine) at $53,000, and Grand Champion Wether (sheep) at $21,000.