The 2026 Champaign County Junior Fair Market Barrow Show ended with Levi Yelton standing at the top of the podium, earning Overall Grand Champion Market Barrow honors with his Division 5 champion.
Yelton described his daily routine with his animal and how he intends to continue his improvement for years down the road.
Yelton was followed by Cole Bishop, who claimed Reserve Grand Champion with his Division 7 champion. Ava Astorino earned third overall after capturing the Division 8 Dark Cross championship, while Dezmond Taylor placed fourth overall after winning Division 1. Ethan Hodge rounded out the top five, finishing fifth overall after a championship performance in Division 2.
The overall results highlighted a strong field of young exhibitors who spent months preparing and caring for their market barrows ahead of the fair. The competition featured 35 classes and eight divisions, with exhibitors showing Hampshire, Berkshire, Duroc, Hereford, Tamworth, Yorkshire, Spot, Light Cross, and Dark Cross barrows.
Overall Market Barrow Results
Grand Champion: Levi Yelton – Division 5
Reserve Grand Champion: Cole Bishop – Division 7
3rd Overall: Ava Astorino – Division 8
4th Overall: Dezmond Taylor – Division 1
5th Overall: Ethan Hodge – Division 2
Yelton’s Division 5 champion led the final drive for the overall title, while Bishop’s Division 7 champion earned reserve honors. Astorino, Taylor, and Hodge rounded out the top five following championship performances in their respective divisions.
Market Barrow Results
FFA Division 1
Class 1
- Mason Bandy – Hampshire
Class 2
- Eli Wilson – Light Cross
Class 3
- Dezmond Taylor – Dark Cross
- Dezmond Taylor – Dark Cross
- Eli Wilson – Dark Cross
- Natalie Wallace – Dark Cross
- Riley Haser – Dark Cross
Class 4
- Mason Bandy – Dark Cross
- Taylor Heizer – Dark Cross
- Taylor Heizer – Dark Cross
- Justin Haser – Dark Cross
- Rachel Haser – Dark Cross
FFA Division 1 Champion: Dezmond Taylor – Dark Cross
FFA Division 1 Reserve Champion: Dezmond Taylor – Dark Cross
Purebred Division 2
Class 5 – Berkshire
- Paisley Lathrop
- Hayden Kline
- Sophia Gannon
- Gabriel Shoemaker
Class 6 – Duroc
- Lincoln Maurice
- Morgan Vulgamore
- Westin Bahan
- Haley Alty
- Finnly Prince
Class 7 – Hampshire
- Coraline Underwood
- Griffin Kimball
- Paige Dibert
- Belle Hatmaker
- Gabriel Shoemaker
Class 8
- Malia Quesenberry – Hereford
- Claire Lensman – Tamworth
- Hannah Volp – Hereford
Classes 9 & 10 – Spot
Grand Champion Spot: Ethan Hodge
Reserve Champion Spot: Lillyanne Hanes
Class 11 – Yorkshire
- Ethan Hodge
- Brookston Gentis
- Roe Griffith
- Isla Leichty
Division 2 Purebred Champion: Ethan Hodge – Spot
Division 2 Purebred Reserve Champion: Claire Lensman – Tamworth
Division 3 – Light Cross
Class 12
- Colton Thomas
- Kaitlyn Metz
- Kolbie Crowder
- Saydie Lake
- Clayton Maxson
Class 13
- Melanie Erter
- Claire Lensman
- Boone Pullins
- Maelin Smith
- Olivia Weisent
Class 14
- Finnly Prince
- Ethan Hodge
- Lillyanne Hanes
- Clara Forrest
- Blair Yelton
Division 3 Light Cross Champion: Finnly Prince
Division 3 Light Cross Reserve Champion: Colton Thomas
Division 4 – Dark Cross
Class 15
- Tyion West
- Kaisley Bishop
- Blake Boystel
- Owen Dallas
- Maci Sadler
Class 16
- Ava Astorino
- Kaitlyn Metz
- Reagan Winters
- Aurora Cushman
- Kipton Crowder
Class 17
- Olivia Weisent
- Kaitlyn Metz
- Lillyanne Hanes
- Kolbie Crowder
- Reese Maurice
Class 18
- Waylon Dixon
- Ethan Hodge
- Lincoln Maurice
- Rylee Harris
- Cylvia Wilhelm
Class 19
- Duncan Funderburgh
- Bentley Deam
- Boone Pullins
- Melanie Erter
- Floy Jackson
Division 4 Dark Cross Champion: Ava Astorino
Division 4 Dark Cross Reserve Champion: Waylon Dixon
Division 5 – Dark Cross
Class 20
- Cade Lensman
- Brady Funderburgh
- Sophia Gannon
- Wesley Bailey
- John Crowder
Class 21
- Solomon Warye
- Ethan Hodge
- Ayla Lensman
- Clayton Schafer
- Addison Dallas
Class 22
- Kaitlyn Metz
- Camryn Thomas
- Kendra Cushman
- Katherine McAlexander
- Paige Dibert
Class 23
- Levi Yelton
- Kaitlyn Metz
- Kendall Thomas
- Addison Dallas
- Easton Laughman
Division 5 Dark Cross Champion: Levi Yelton
Division 5 Dark Cross Reserve Champion: Kaitlyn Metz
Division 6 – Dark Cross
Class 24
- Kenna Wright
- Kipton Crowder
- Payton Maurice
- Lillyanne Hanes
- Colbie West
Class 25
- Addison Dallas
- Owen Black
- Maleah Erter
- Colt Bailey
- Bayleigh Deam
Class 26
- Bailey Stafford
- Colton Thomas
- Jerrick Belford
- Ellie Louth
- Alayah Rutherford
Class 27
- Kendall Thomas
- Owen Black
- Duncan Funderburgh
- Olivia Weisent
- Rebecca Fraley
Division 6 Dark Cross Champion: Kendall Thomas
Division 6 Dark Cross Reserve Champion: Addison Dallas
Division 7 – Dark Cross
Class 28
- Brookston Gentis
- Ava Astorino
- Claire Lensman
- Waylon Dixon
- Easton Funderburgh
Class 29
- Kole Bishop
- Levi Yelton
- Bentley Deam
- Reese Maurice
- Duncan Funderburgh
Class 30
- Ava Phillips
- Rhenna Smith
- Wade Bailey
- Jorja Pullins
- Levi Gus Purk
Class 31
- Finnly Prince
- Payton Maurice
- Kaitlyn Metz
- Waylon Dixon
- Bayleigh Deam
Division 7 Dark Cross Champion: Cole Bishop
Division 7 Dark Cross Reserve Champion: Brookston Gentis
Division 8 – Dark Cross
Class 32
- Carson Doogs
- Solomon Warye
- Colton Thomas
- Brookston Gentis
- Brynne Edwards
Class 33
- Julianna Loveless
- Blair Yelton
- Kendall Thomas
- Ruby Forrest
- Bailey Stafford
Class 34
- Ava Astorino
- Kole Bishop
- Claire Lensman
- Ethan Hodge
- Emma Funderburgh
Class 35
- Payton Maurice
- Ava Phillips
- Halle Funderburgh
- Easton Funderburgh
- Kase McIntosh
Division 8 Dark Cross Champion: Ava Astorino
Division 8 Dark Cross Reserve Champion: Carson Doogs
The championship performances capped a successful day in the Champaign County show barn, with exhibitors demonstrating the time, effort, and dedication required to prepare market barrows for the junior fair. The final results showcased the strength of the county’s 4-H and FFA livestock programs and the hard work of the young exhibitors competing throughout the show.
