INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — As the 2017 Indiana

State Fair drew to a close August 20, one milestone remained for 24 4-H youth whose hard work and dedication had earned them the right to attend the Celebration of Champions at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

These young Hoosiers had spent the last year working hard to raise livestock of various species, weights and classes, while others have grown crops, cultivated bee colonies and built particle accelerators. Their work was rewarded during the Celebration of Champions’ dinner and program, where each received a coveted purple banner. Nearly $170,000 was raised by the Indiana State Fair Foundation for the youth development fund to provide monetary awards and the Celebration of Champions dinner to honor the accomplishments and work ethic of Hoosier youth.

This year’s Grand Champions include:

•4-H Exhibit Hall Best of Show: Alexandra

Forsythe, Huntington County

•Garden Exhibit: Nathan Berry, Hendricks

County

•Cache of Honey: Lilly Vittetow, Putnam

County

•Meat Pen of Rabbits: Paige Gauck, Decatur

County

•Dairy Steer: Melissa Rudolph, LaPorte

County

•Meat Goat Wether: Ethan Beaman,

Cass County

•Market Lamb: Lane Slaton, Hamilton

County

•Market Steer: Remingtin Brumbaugh,

DeKalb County

•Commercial Waterfowl: Emma Gutfreund,

Dearborn County

•Meat Type Chicken: Daniel Koontz,

Marshall County

Reserve Grand Champion standing was

awarded to the following:

•Meat Goat Wether: Elizabeth Michel,

Wabash County

•Market Lamb: Kendal Rosen, Wabash

County

•Market Barrow: Cagney Utterback,

Madison County

•Market Steer: Harper Henney, Steuben

County

Others awarded include:

•4th Overall Market Lamb: Logan

Tressler, Rush County

•5th Overall Market Lamb: McKenzie

Vogel, White County

•6th Overall Market Lamb: Jordyn

Leininger, Kosciusko County

•3rd Overall Market Barrow: Chase

Cassida, Montgomery County

•4th Overall Market Barrow: Blake

Danner, White County

•5th Overall Market Barrow: Blake

Webel, Hamilton County

•6th Overall Market Barrow: Johnie

Anne McDonnell, Wayne County

•3rd Overall Market Steer: Robert Rogers,

Noble County

•4th Overall Market Steer: Ross Howard,

White County

•5th Overall Market Steer: Zackary

Bowman, Wayne County