COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Ohio Beef Expo is the premier event for Ohio’s beef industry. The 34th expo is March 17-20 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus. The 2022 expo will provide cattle enthusiasts from across the state with a full line up of breed shows and sales, youth activities and a popular trade show.

Hanna Fosbrink, director of marketing for the Ohio Beef Council, said eight breeds will host sales during the expo with an online feeder cattle sale on Friday, leading off the sale line up. All the sales, including the online sale, will be staged in the Voinovich Livestock & Trade Center.

Fosbrink said for the first time in the history of the expo, junior activities will be held in the Taft Coliseum, with the youth beef quality assurance, judging contest and market animal show and heifer shows taking place in the larger venue, to accommodate expansion of the expo’s youth events. Also new this year is the availability of viaduct stalling for OCA Best sponsors.

“The viaducts under the railroad tracks are part of the fairgrounds where many folks will stall their cattle during the expo and are a hot commodity among the junior show exhibitors,” Fosbrink said. “This year we are reserving viaducts to ensure that all BEST sponsors will have a space. All remaining viaducts bays will be sold on the online Junior Show auction prior to the expo.”

The expo trade show will attract about 125 vendors and retailers with products ranging from semen to show supplies and trailers to insurance. The trade show runs the duration of the show.

The official hotel for the expo will be the Hilton Columbus/Polaris, located at 8700 Lyra Dr. Columbus, Ohio 43240. A discounted room rate for Ohio Beef Expo attendees will be offered until Feb. 18, 2022. The hotel will be host to a Thursday evening social allowing exhibitors to enjoy food and conversation with other cattlemen and women.

“We want to invite cattlemen and industry affiliates to The Social on Thursday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m.” Fosbrink said. “This is our pre-Expo kick-off event to allow for an evening of networking, appetizers and drinks. This event is free for OCA members, exhibitors, sponsors and volunteers. The night will also include a live auction to support OCA’s political action committee (PAC).”

Fosbrink added the expo planning committee is still looking for sponsors for the show.

“The Expo sees over 30,000 beef industry enthusiasts from across the country each year,” Fosbrink said. “Becoming a sponsor is excellent marketing opportunity for businesses and organizations to receive optimum recognition among their target audience. Sponsorships begin at as low as $150 and go up from there. Our valued sponsors receive their company logo on signage, the Ohio Beef Expo website, the show program and more depending on the level of sponsorship.”

Fosbrink said businesses and individuals interested in becoming sponsors could contact the office at cattle@ohiocattle.org or 614-873-6736.

Admission to Ohio Beef Expo is free. Parking permits are $5 per day or $14 for the entire expo. The Ohio Beef Expo will continue to follow all health orders related to COVID-19 at the time of the event. These may include social distancing or the wearing of masks. Please do not make plans to attend if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19 that are listed on the CDC website. Details regarding the 2022 Ohio Beef Expo are subject to change pending current state health orders related to COVID-19. For more information on the 2022 Ohio Beef Expo, contact the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association at cattle@ohiocattle.org, 614-873-6736 or visit www.ohiobeefexpo.com.