Sale of Champions held

First Lady M.K. Pritzker came out on top after a bidding war at the State Fair’s Governor’s Sale of Champions Tuesday night.

The grand champion steer was raised by 13-year-old Cole Caldwell of Peoria County and he benefited from back-and-forth bidding between Gov. Pritzker at the first lady with a final winning bid of $75,000. Pritzker said much of the meat would go to the Central Illinois Food Bank.

Commodities like champion cheeses and bacon were auctioned along with the grand champion meat goat and barrow, which fetched over $30,000. The grand champion market lamb went for $8,000.