COLUMBUS, Ohio – Holden LeVan, of Champaign County, Ohio, has long searched for success in the show ring. Success found LeVan at this year’s Ohio State Fair. LeVan exited the show ring with the Grand Champion Market Beef banner.

“I never thought this would ever happen, to be honest,” LeVan said. “I’ve always dreamed of this. It’s something everyone in my family has looked forward to and tried to do. I’m proud to be the first to accomplish this.”

Things appeared bleak early in the competitions.

“I was a little nervous when I walked my calf and he decided he wanted to lay down because he was tired,” LeVan recalled. “I was fortunate that he quickly got back up.”

After listening to the speech from the judge, LeVan took his spot in the show ring. The judge quickly passed LeVan once and slowly made his lap around the field of competitors and their steers. The judge made a second pass around the group and headed straight toward LeVan and his animal, where he gave a quick slap on the animal signifying LeVan had secured the top prize.

“It feels really good because there’s some really nice steers that pass through here,” LeVan said. “It’s a big compliment as I heard from the crowd that there were some really nice steers in the ring.”

According to LeVan, the judge liked how stout the animal was and how big and wide his back was, and how nicely he handled the animal for as big as he was.

“He said my animal had big legs, nice hair, was clean-fronted, finished and tight,” LeVan said. “He added that he was easy on the eyes to look at.”

LeVan credits much of his success to listening to the advice from others.

“I think it’s important to listen to people who criticize you even though it may be a little bit harsh,” LeVan said. “Constructive criticism is what I’ve always learned off of from my brothers and people who I show for. I think it’s best to work hard to do your best, because that’s all you really can do. Things don’t always go your way, but when they do it’s a great feeling.”

LeVan, 16, attends Triad High School where he plays basketball and is a member of the school’s FFA program. He has been showing since he was nine.

“I have a few more years of showing left but it’ll be hard to top this year,” he said.

Similarly, Oksana Gossard has competed with animals in the show ring many times, but this eighth-grader from Allen County, Ohio, hit pay dirt with her Grand Champion Market Barrow. In school she runs hurdles for her school track team. This is one hurdle she’s cleared with flying colors, thanks to a 280-pound barrow named Black Hammer.

“This feels amazing, I never expected this,” Gossard said. “I knew he was a good barrow, but I never expected he was going to win. He’s previously won three Jackpot shows, so I felt my chances were pretty high.

“I’ve been showing at fairs now for five years, and in the past we’ve shown at the state fair and done pretty well, but nothing quite like this. The advice I have to others is that it will take a lot of work, but if they keep working at it, they’ll get there.”