HURON, SD (Mitchell Now) — From September 1 until September 7, 2026, FFA members from across South Dakota competed in livestock exhibitions, farm safety quiz bowl, agriscience fair, and a variety of agricultural displays during the South Dakota State Fair. In addition, district and state FFA officers coordinated with industry volunteers to provide educational experiences to fair attendees at the Ag Adventure Center.

The top awards and results through various competitions are listed below with many pictures being available:

Chapter Sweepstakes Results:

  • 1st – Lake Preston
  • 2nd – Wessington Springs
  • 3rd – Doland
  • 4th – Beresford
  • 5th – Bridgewater-Emery
  • 6th – Tea

Chapter Display Results Top 5:

  • 1st – Bridgewater-Emery
  • 2nd – Canton
  • 3rd – Arlington
  • 4th – Tea
  • 5th – Redfield

Agricultural Exhibit Results:

  • 1st Large Metal Project – Bridgewater-Emery
  • 1st Medium Metal Project – Andes Central
  • 1st Small Metal Project – McCook
  • 1st Large Wood Project – DeSmet
  • 1st Medium Wood Project – Deuel
  • 1st Small Wood Project – Deuel
  • 1st Home Accessory Project – Lake Preston
  • 1st Pallet Board Construction – Doland
  • 1st Horseshoe Project – Beresford
  • 1st Metal Art & Plasma Cut Design – Doland
  • 1st Corsages/Boutonnieres – Wessington Springs
  • 1st Cut Floral Arrangements – Wessington Springs
  • 1st Hanging Baskets/Decorative Planters – Brandon Valley

Beef Cattle Show Results:

  • Grand Champion Breeding Heifer – Alayna Caulfield, Florence
  • Reserve Champion Breeding Heifer – Sawyer James, Estelline
  • 3rd Overall Breeding Heifer- Briggston Bertsche, Sully Buttes
  • 4th Overall Breeding Heifer- Macey Josephsen, Arlington
  • 5th Overall Breeding Heifer- Emma Caulfield, Florence

Top 5 Breeding Heifer Showman – (1) Macey Josephsen, Arlington; (2) Chance Blum, Chamberlain; (3) Owen Spencer, Stanley County; (4) Addison Byer, Florence; (5) Mattisyn Keppen, Sioux Valley.

  • Grand Champion Market Heifer –Hunter Heezen, Wessington Springs
  • Reserve Champion Market Heifer – Jessie Coyle, Faulkton
  • 3rd Overall Market Heifer- Kelton King, Buffalo Christian
  • 4th Overall Market Heifer- Tenley Bonn, Milbank
  • 5th Overall Market Heifer- Hailey Heinje, Wilmot
  • Grand Champion Market Steer – Baylor Pazour, Kimball
  • Reserve Champion Market Steer – Jennings Pazour, Kimball
  • 3rd Overall Market Steer- Jade Twedt, Beresford
  • 4th Overall Market Steer – Charlee Holt, Wessington Springs
  • 5th Overall Market Steer – Cailey Sime, Milbank

Top 5 Market Beef Showman – (1) Jade Twedt, Beresford; (2)Charlee Holt, Wessington Springs; (3) Avery Antelope, Winner; (4) Charlie Cody, TriValley; (5) Kane Grace, West Central

Sheep Show Results:

  • Grand Champion Ram – Josie Nold, Brookings
  • Reserve Champion Ram – Emily Robbins, Elkton
  • 3rd Overall Ram- Kaycee Scheel, Wessington Springs
  • 4th Overall Ram – Tenley Olinger, Wessington Springs
  • 5th Overall Ram – Emily Robbins, Elkton
  • Grand Champion Breeding Ewe – Henry Nielson, Bridgewater-Emery
  • Reserve Champion Breeding Ewe – Andrew Johnson, Harrisburg
  • 3rd Overall Ewe- Tenley Olinger, Wessington Springs
  • 4th Overall Ewe – Delaney Zoss, Mitchell
  • 5th Overall Ewe – Wyatt Marshall, Arlington

Top 5 Breeding Sheep Showmen – (1) Carissa Scheel, Wessington Springs; (2) Josie Nold, Brookings; (3) Tenley Olinger, Wessington Springs; (4) Delaney Zoss, Mitchell; (5) Bailey Weegar, Viborg-Hurley.

  • Grand Champion Market Lamb – Andrew Johnson, Harrisburg
  • Reserve Champion Market Lamb – Kreyton Karstens, Howard
  • 3rd Overall Market Lamb- Riley Pankratz, Parker
  • 4th Overall Market Lamb – Riley Pankratz, Parker
  • 5th Overall Market Lamb – Coy Stephenson, Faulkton

Top 5 Market Sheep Showmen – (1) Sadie Gelderman, TriValley; (2) Colton Stiefvater, McCook; (3) Tucker Peterson, McCook; (4) Hope Baysinger, Mitchell; (5)Coy Stephenson, Faulkton.

Meat Goat Show Results:

  • Grand Champion Wether Dam – Jace Smith, Doland
  • Reserve Champion Wether Dam – Avery Lockwood, Chamberlain
  • 3rd Overall Wether Dam- Delaney Zoss, Mitchell
  • 4th Overall Wether Dam – Rachel Steffenson, Arlington
  • 5th Overall Wether Dam – Carley Crist, Beresford
  • Grand Champion Registered Doe – Wyatt Hasper, Herreid
  • Reserve Champion Registered Doe – Wyatt Hasper, Herreid
  • 3rd Overall Registered Doe- Rhett Munger, Miller
  • 4th Overall Registered Doe – Avery Lockwood, Chamberlain
  • 5th Overall Registered Doe – Delaney Zoss, Mitchell
  • Grand Champion Commercial Doe – Madison Dragdt, Tea
  • Reserve Champion Commercial Doe – Jase Smith, Doland
  • 3rd Overall Commercial Doe- Avery Lockwood, Chamberlain
  • 4th Overall Commercial Doe – Madison Dragdt, Tea
  • 5th Overall Commercial Doe – Colt Johnson, Buffalo Christian

Top 5 Breeding Meat Goat Showmen – (1) Wyatt Hasper, Herreid; (2) Avery Lockwood, Chamberlain; (3) Madison Dragdt, Tea; (4) Jade Twedt, Beresford; (5) Jace Smith, Doland

  • Grand Champion Market Goat – Gabe Miller, Howard
  • Reserve Champion Market Goat – Mylee Sumner, Florence
  • 3rd Overall Market Goat- Mesa Rasmussen, Wessington Springs
  • 4th Overall Market Goat – Coy Petersen, Chamberlain
  • 5th Overall Market Goat – Tosten Tangen, Sioux Valley

Top 5 Market Meat Goat Showmen – (1) Teagan Weiszhaar, Leola; (2) Coy Peterson, Chamberlain; (3) Carley Crist, Beresford; (4) Riley Gall, Freeman; (5) Mesa Rasmussen, Wessington Springs.

Rabbit Show Results:

  • Grand Champion Rabbit – Hannah Masterson, Menno
  • Reserve Champion Rabbit – Julia Tinker, Brandon Valley
  • 3rd Overall Rabbit- Taylor Hawley, Bridgewater-Emery
  • 4th Overall Rabbit – Julia Tinker, Brandon Valley
  • 5th Overall Rabbit – Taylor Hawley, Bridgewater-Emery

Top 5 Showmen – (1) Julia Tinker, Brandon Valley; (2) Brianna Gilchrist, Winner; (3 Hannah Masterson, Menno; (4) Anna Sieperda, Beresford; (5) Michael Freeman, Ethan.

Dairy Goat Show Results:

  • Grand Champion Dairy Goat – Brityn Davies, Lake Preston
  • Reserve Champion Dairy Goat – Johnathon Neuharth, Stanley County
  • 3rd Overall Dairy Goat- Johnathon Neuharth, Stanley County
  • 4th Overall Dairy Goat – Madisyn Thompson, Elkton
  • 5th Overall Dairy Goat – Justin Neuharth, Stanley County

Top 5 Showmen – (1) Justin Neuharth, Stanley County; (2) Johnathon Neuharth, Stanley County; (3) Brityn Davies, Lake Preston; (4) Adrian Flisrand, Florence; (5) Madisyn Thompson, Elkton.

  • Grand Champion Breeding Gilt – Nolan Eichler, Lake Preston
  • Reserve Champion Breeding Gilt – Jocelyn Wagner, Hitchcock-Tulare
  • 3rd Overall Breeding Gilt- Carson Eichler, Lake Preston
  • 4th Overall Breeding Gilt – Tessa Thompson, Canton
  • 5th Overall Breeding Gilt – Treyson Zeigler, Gettysburg

Top 5 Breeding Showmen – (1) Jocelyn Wagner, Hitchcock-Tulare; (2) Weston Eichler, Lake Preston; (3)Nolan Eichler, Lake Preston; (4)Lacie Weber, Howard; (5)Treyson Zeigler, Gettysburg.

  • Grand Champion Market Hog – Jonathan Moe, Estelline
  • Reserve Champion Market Hog – Treyson Zeigler, Gettysburg
  • 3rd Overall Market Hog- Carson Eichler, Lake Preston
  • 4th Overall Market Hog – Nolan Eichler, Lake Preston
  • 5th Overall Market Hog – Weston Eichler, Lake Preston

Top 5 Market Showmen – (1)Caden Singrey, Arlington; (2)Carson Eichler, Lake Preston; (3)Cally VanderWal, Sioux Valley; (4)Chloe Weber, Ethan; (5) Clayton Weber, Howard

Dairy Cattle Show Results:

  • Grand Champion Dairy Female – Braylon Plucker, Parker
  • Reserve Champion Dairy Female – Gavin Mattson, Deuel
  • 3rd Overall Dairy Female- Katie Scherff, Dells
  • 4th Overall Dairy Female – Lexi Scherff, Dells
  • 5th Overall Dairy Female – Braylon Plucker, Parker

Top 5 Showmen – (1) Gavin Mattson, Deuel; (2) Sutton Plucker, Parker; (3) Lexi Scherff, Dells; (4) Braylon Plucker, Parker; (5) Katie Scherff, Dells

Adopt-an-Animal Results:

  • Sows – Gentry Puffer, Hitchcock-Tulare & Connor Manas, Scotland
  • Hens – Abby Spatz, Sisseton & Skylar Stiefvater, McCook
  • Feeder Pigs – Tyler Warkenthien, Clark & Elizabeth Fossum, Canton
  • Chicks – Brooke Schaeffer, Scotland

Funding for these events are made possible as a special project of the SD FFA Foundation. FFA Livestock Show premiums are sponsored by Hart Angus, The Kippley Group, Riverview LLP, Custom Genetic Solutions and Horizon View Farms. Exhibitors t-shirts are sponsored by: The Cattle Business Weekly, Wagner Herefords, Whetstone Commodities, Salem Vet Service, SD Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge, Midwest Vet Service, Gullickson Family Livestock, Midwest Mechanical, Cargill, DeJong Ranch, Lazy J Bar Ranch, Dakotaland Feeds- LLC, C & R Supply -Inc., Stangl Shorthorns, The Kippley Group, Horizon View Farms, Hart Angus, 605 Sires+Donors, Riverview LLP, Custom Genetic Solutions.

The South Dakota FFA Association is a statewide organization of 6,744 agricultural education students in 113 chapters in every corner of South Dakota. It is part of the National FFA Organization, a national youth organization of 1,053,847 student members preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture with 9,591 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Our mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit www.sdaged.org for more information.