La Salle County Stockman hosts 17th annual banquet

The 17th annual La Salle County Stockman’s Harvest Rewards Banquet was conducted Nov. 23 at Seneca’s Oak Ridge.

The evening’s banquet honored La Salle County’s outstanding youth involved in agriculture.

Following a welcome by Chris Over. Ella Chapman offered the invocation.

La Salle County Stockman President Ken Bernard and Vice President Sarah Lukach welcomed and thanked those in attendance. The La Salle County Stockman strives to promote and support young people as they build an agriculture career and lifestyle, the group said. This could be through a cow herd, a hog enterprise, sheep or goat herd or any agriculture field.

Win-A-Show-Animal essay contest winners were announced by Melissas Bernard. Each winner wrote a 250-word essay on “Why I want to win a show animal.” An animal from beef, swin and goat breeds was donated. The animals will be shown July 2022 at the La Salle County Junior Fair.

This year’s beef winner, Brayden Wilson, was donated by Walter Brothers, Grand Ridge; the swine winner Alexis Walkling, was donated by Corcoran Family, Ottawa; and the goat winner Ruby Dittmer, was donated by Inskeep Acres, Marseilles.

The Grand and Reserve Champion Market winners from the 2021 La Salle County Junior Fair were recognized followed by a live auction of their champion market animals.

The Grand Champion Market Animal winners who auctioned their animals were as follows: Beef Steer Nolan Lukach; Barrow Cassie Simons; Lamb Jessica Reel; Goat Tate Sundberg; Pen of Chickens Brayden Wilson; and Dairy Lauren McNelis.

Reserve Grand Champion Market Animal winners whose animals were auctioned are: Beef Steer John Tyson Lukach; Barrow Ruby Dittmer; Lamb Kylee Zoran; and Goat Ruby Dittmer.

Rate of Gain Steer was awarded to Dalton Walter.

The 2021 winners of the Grand Champion Breeding Animals were recognized and honored. They are Heifer Dalton Walter; Gilt Purebred and Gilt X Bred to Carter Meyer; Ram Kameron Hastings; Ewe Jessica Reel; and Doe Goat Ella Robson.

The 2021 winners of Reserved Grand Champion Breeding Animals were recognized and honored. They are: Heifer Dalton Walter; Gilt Purebred Cassie Simons; Gilt X-Bred Ryder Baxter; Ewe Gunnar Van Cleave; Ram Ariana Ross; and Doe Goat Landon Swain.

Showmanship winners from the 2021 La Salle 4-H and Junior Fair were announced and recognized in the junior intermediate and senior divisions of each animal breed.

In the Beef Category Junior Showman was Tenley Pyska; Beef Intermediate Sophia Pyska; Senior Beef Dalton Walter.

In Swine category: Swine Junior Showman Garrett Billup; Swine Intermediate Karson Sundberg; and Swine Senior Carter Meyer.

In the Goat category: Showmanship Winners are Goat Junior Showman Mollie Thomson; Goat Intermediate Showman Hannah Mann; and Senior Goat Showman Matthew Rich.

In the Sheep Showmanship the winners are Sheep Junior Showman Jessica Reel and Sheep Senior Showman Nick Angus.

In the Dairy Showmanship Category: Dairy Junior Hannah McNeilis and Dairy Senior Lauren McNelis.

The 2021 La Salle County Master Showmanship winner was Kylee Zoran.

In the Bred and Owned Sheep division, recognized in order of placement are Jessica Reel, Gunnar Van Cleave, Kameron Hastings, Nick Angus, Carter Mackey, Kara Killealea and Mollie Thomson.

La Salle County Stockman awarded two $1,000 scholarships to Kylee Zoran and Nick Angus.

The 2021 Stockman of the Year was presented to Larry Stillwell, of Peru. Stillwell, and his wife, Nancy, farm in the Tonica area.

Auctioneers for the evening were Adam Almburg, Ruben Dittmer, Tom Diss, Dan Naughton and Joel Prestegaard.

Five talented ladies donated their sweet temptations for the pie auction. They were Rosie Walter, Sarah Over, Anita Lukach and Joann Naughton.

For the past 18 years, the Association has provided the platform to return more than $275,000 to the youth of La Salle County through programs, such as Animal Essay Contest, scholarships, sponsoring various classes at the FFA fair, La Salle County 4-H and Junior Fair, breeding awards, and the live market animal auction.

During this past year, the Stockman’s Association has sponsored or donated to La Salle County Junior Fair’s Livestock Premiums and the Bred and Owned Class; Illinois Section 7 FFA-Grand Champion Winners; La Salle County Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom; La Salle County Stockman’s scholarships; Celebration of Lights at Rotary Park, La Salle; and the Harvest Rewards Banquet Awards.

The Stockman officers for 2021-22 are President Ken Bernard, Vice President Sarah Lukach, Secretary Melissa Bernard and Treasurer Lisa Corcoran.

The 2021-2023 board of directors are Drew Beckman, Floyd Crane, Andy Goodbred, David Isermann, George A. Lukach, Chris Over and Darrin Walter.

Meetings are the first Wednesday of each month at various locations throughout the county.