Hoosier Ag Today (HAT) showed its support for the 2023 Indiana State Fair through hosting a photo contest and participating in the Celebrity Showmanship Exhibition that celebrated the grand opening of the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion.
Molly Nichols, director of sales for HAT, says the state fair always has a theme, and this year’s was basketball.
“Basketball is a big tradition here in Indiana,” Nichols said. “Playing basketball on the farm is also a big deal here in the state. So, we decided to have a photo contest where people send photos of their basketball setups on the farm.”
HAT always has supported the state fair, and they recognize the importance of events like this for agriculture.
“It’s a time for FFA and 4-H kids to come out and show off their projects,” Nichols said. “State fairs are built around agriculture, and we are an agricultural broadcasting network. We like to go out and interview people and stay involved with one of the area’s biggest agricultural events of the year.”
More than 20 photos were entered from around the state, and HAT awarded prizes for four categories. Britney Stroud of Roann, Indiana, submitted the Best Overall photo, and she received several prizes including a cash award from HAT, CountryMark Advantage Diesel Engine Oil, tickets to the state fair, an Indiana Barn Foundation supporter sign, and a one-year membership to the foundation.
The other winners were:
The Best Overall photo was a unanimous decision, and it was beautifully done,” Nichols said. “It just looked like heaven was shining down on this hay loft.” (See first included photo.)
Another way the company supported the 2023 state fair was its involvement in the Celebrity Showmanship Exhibition during the grand opening of the new swine barn. Gary Truitt, CEO of Hoosier Ag Today, was invited to exhibit a hog at the competition.
The Indiana State Fair’s old swine barn was demolished and rebuilt to improve the experience for exhibitors and the public.
“The new facility is a beautiful building that’s enclosed and air conditioned,” Truitt said. “It’s got new gates and pens, and it’s a tremendous facility for showcasing the swine industry.”
The building had been under construction for two years, and this was the first state fair during which the building was to be used. The Indiana State Fair decided to invite celebrities from around the state to participate in the first exhibition of the building’s history.
“Some of us had shown before, but I wasn’t one of those people,” Truitt said. “It was a learning experience, and it was a good way of demonstrating the livestock showing industry to the public. The event drew a pretty big crowd.”
Some of the other showmen included the governor’s wife, the Indiana Pork Board president, the Indiana State Fair Queen, the interim director of Purdue Extension, and an Indiana Pacers team member. The governor served as the judge, and he declared everyone a winner after the exhibition concluded. Each showman received a trophy presented by the pork breed queens.
Truitt said HAT employees like to feel connected to their communities beyond simply broadcasting the agricultural markets on radio.
“We are involved in our agricultural communities,” Truitt said. “The state fair is the best way to demonstrate that to the public. It’s a chance for us to educate folks about the importance of agriculture.”
