Champion of Champions crowned at WSF
Douglas – A large crowd gathered under the hot summer sun at the 111th Wyoming State Fair (WSF) on Aug. 15 as world-renowned Livestock Judge Ryan Rash crowned the Champion of Champions across all species.
Every year, the WSF Champion of Champions Showcase features grand champions from each of Wyoming’s 23 counties vying for the prestigious title.
This year, WSF revamped the contest and made it a standout, stand-alone event, complete with fog machines, hype-up music and Rash’s highly sought after “glitter slap.”
Rash, a resident of Crockett, Texas, grew up showing every species of livestock and competed on the national champion intercollegiate livestock judging team. During his collegiate career, Rash placed in the top 10 individuals and top 10 oral reasons in every collegiate contest he entered.
Today, Rash runs a club calf operation in addition to purebred Charolais and Hereford operations, co-hosts the Beyond the Ring podcast with Dale Hummel and judges livestock shows around the nation, boasting appearances in 46 of the 50 states.
During the Champion of Champions show at WSF, Rash sorted through some of the best livestock Wyoming has to offer, crowning four elite champions.
Sublette County’s Zoe Griffin took home esteemed honors with her champion goat, and Katherine Olson of Laramie County exhibited the reserve champion.
In the swine show, Brohdon Flores of Sweetwater County exhibited the champion, and Johnson County’s Shelby Fennema exhibited the reserve champion.
The champion lamb was shown by Cassidy Bessler of Johnson County, and Jason Huelle of Fremont County exhibited the reserve champion lamb.
Carbon County’s Shelby Knotwell received honors with the champion steer, and Stetson Rothlisberger of Sweetwater County had the reserve champion steer.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
