Kenly Youth Bring Home Four Champion Honors From N.C. State Fair

RALEIGH – Two Johnston County youth were among the top exhibitors at this year’s N.C. State Fair Junior Livestock Sale of Champions, with their four champion entries drawing a combined $69,000 in winning bids.

Sloane Hinnant and Zade Jennings, both of Kenly, represented Johnston County in the Oct. 25 sale, which raised a record $234,000 for junior livestock exhibitors and scholarships.

Hinnant showed the grand champion junior market steer.

The steer brought a winning bid of $22,000 from Powers Great American Midway, N.C. Farm Bureau Insurance, Nash Produce and Mid Atlantic Cattle Sales, with additional support from Dean Garey Fox and N.C. State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Jennings collected three champion honors.

Jennings showed the grand champion junior market lamb, which drew a $15,000 winning bid from N.C. Farm Bureau Insurance.

Jennings also exhibited the grand champion Got to Be NC junior market lamb. That entry brought $16,500 from Farm Credit Associations of N.C., N.C. Farm Bureau Insurance and Agri Supply Co.

Jennings’ third championship came with the grand champion junior market meat goat.

The goat drew a $15,500 winning bid from Iron Horse Auction Company, Sen. Tom McInnis and N.C. Farm Bureau Insurance.

Altogether, the four Johnston County champion entries generated $69,000 in winning bids.

The Sale of Champions features top animals from the State Fair’s junior livestock shows, including steers, barrows, lambs, goats and turkeys.

Grand and reserve grand champion exhibitors receive money from the sale, while a portion of each bid is placed into a scholarship fund available to youth who participate in the livestock shows.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said the sale recognizes the exhibitors while also helping support future educational opportunities.

“The Sale of Champions not only gives us an opportunity to recognize the winners in the N.C. State Fair junior livestock shows, but a portion of every winning bid also goes to scholarships available to all junior livestock show participants,” Troxler said.

Strong participation in the 2025 sale helped fund 32 scholarships of $2,000 each that were awarded this spring.