It’s the best breeding livestock that Indiana has to offer. The 4-H Supreme Drive—presented by Indiana Farm Bureau—was held on the dirt Sunday night inside the Coliseum at the Indiana State Fair.
“There’s so much work and effort and emotion that you pour into these animals. For it to pay off in such a major way is so rewarding and so fantastic, and I’m just so grateful,” said Lizzie Hefner, a 10-year 4-H member from Boone County, who won this year’s Supreme Champion Full Blood Doe.
Hefner said that raising boer goats—including a Supreme Champion—takes a tremendous amount of dedication.
“It’s the late nights, it’s the early mornings, it’s the tears, it’s the anger, it’s all the emotions that you pour into this animal. And it’s a lot of work—it’s very taxing, but I’m just so happy that it paid off in the way it did,” said Hefner.
Ellie Bollenbacher, a 10-year 4-H member from Argos in Marshall County, won this year’s Supreme Champion Dairy Heifer.
Bollenbacher said her heifer’s name is Gemma.
“She’s a sweetheart, and she likes to snuggle and cuddle. And she’s fun to work with when I go walk her and set her up. She’s really easy to work with, and it’s just, she’s sweet.”
Being a Supreme Champion isn’t new to Bollenbacher. She won the Supreme Champion Dairy Cow last year.
She says raising Supreme Champion Dairy Cattle still has its challenges, though.
“Honestly, for me, I think it’s when they’re first born. You got a bottle feed them every day, make sure they get sick really easily then, so you just got to keep them kicking.”
Bollenbacher says showing Dairy Cattle at the Indiana State Fair has become a family affair. It’s where her parents, Max and Carrie Jo, first met!
“Well, my mom took her Holsteins, and my dad would take his Jerseys,” said Bollenbacher. “The dairy community is small, so they just met and it was history from there—and now (my brothers and sister) are all here.”
On the swine side, Mya Holderly from White County, another 10-year 4-H member, was awarded Supreme Champion Gilt.
What advice does Holderly have for those who wanna win Supreme Champion this time next year?
“I would just tell them to never give up. Definitely find people who will help you and will always be in your corner. Sometimes it’s hard to persevere just because this industry is so competitive, but there’s always people that are willing to help you, and no matter how many questions you ask, you always are like should be willing to learn and try new things,” said Holderly.
Other Supreme Champions from Sunday night include:
- Oakley Rinehart from Cass County for Supreme Champion Ewe
- Clayton Newton from Knox County for Supreme Champion Percentage Dow
- Kadance Ford from Adams County for Supreme Champion Dairy Cow.
