Market show champions shine at Somerset County Fair

Aug. 23 was a big day for Lukka Hay, 8, of Friedens.

This youngster won Grand Champion 2022 Market Steer during the steer show at the Somerset County Fair in the morning, and then won Grand and Reserve Champion 2022 Market Swine during the swine show that night.

His steer "Rocky" led him to the winner's circle at the steer show and pigs "Harry" and "Trump," grand and reserve respectively, made their way to the championship spot at the swine show.

There was also the Grand Champion Heifer win on Aug. 22. And, to top it all off, Lukka was the youngest competitor ever to vie for junior showman at the Supreme Showman competition on Thursday afternoon.

He is the son of Bryan and Heather Hay and this family spent this past summer going to shows throughout the region. They went to 12 steer shows and five pig shows. Lukka won 21 banners with "Rocky" and three pig banners. He also won overall showman in New York and reserve showman in Bloomsburg.

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"He lives and breathes football and livestock," laughed his mother, Heather. "He showed at the Somerset County Fair when he was only 18 months old in the dairy goat show and set up the dairy goats as if they were steers."

It's possible that some of Lukka's interest in animals goes back to genetics. He comes from a long line of cattlemen. His great-uncle was the late Bob Hay, who died June 23 and served as ErRer Hill Farm's manager for decades. Bob's brother Tom is Bryan's father.

Bryan grew up helping at ErRer Hill, a grand beef farm once owned by the late Sidney Riggs and now sold off and owned in separate parcels. Sidney's sons Dan and Bill are also deceased. Heather and Bryan own a parcel of the farm called the old Coleman place.

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Bob Hay was Riggs' nephew who faithfully worked the farm located off Route 601 going towards Jenners and grew it into a nationally-known beef production. Bob Hay became recognized on a national level as a premier cattleman and served on several different boards.

He was a founding member of the Somerset County Beef Producers and an original member of the Pa. Beef Council. In an earlier interview in 2018, he related that he was only 8 years old when his grandfather, Eugene Riggs, bought their first angus in 1957.

"When he was able, Bob never missed one of Lukka's shows," said Heather. "He was always very pleased about Bryan's interest in the beef cows and farming because he knew that it would continue on in the family. Bryan is the only one in the family to continue with the cows."

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And, the success of a family working together doesn't stop with the Hays at the Somerset County Fair.

Jayce McKinney, 11, of Fort Hill, son of Aaron and Teresa McKinney, won Reserve Champion Steer with "Biscuit" during the same steer competition.

Siblings Trace and Riley Hay made it to the winner's circle at the steer show as well. Trace Hay, 15, won Champion Homegrown Market Steer with his steer named "Bubba J," while his older sister, Riley, 20, won Reserve Homegrown Steer with her steer named "Rip." They are the children of Jeremy and Tonya Hay, of Berlin.

They are the grandchildren of Dennis and Cheryl Hay, who operate a dairy named Highmanor. Trace and Riley have a small beef herd called Highmanor as well. They are members of Berlin Brothersvalley FFA.

Halee Slingluff, 17, daughter of Greg and Beth Slingluff, won Champion Somerset County Bred Market Steer with her steer named "Fireball," while Allison Schmuck, 19, daughter of Steve and Kim Schmuck, won Reserve County Bred Steer with "Duke."

And, while Lukka Hay won grand and reserve swine, the Engle family, of Meyersdale, took home accolades for Homegrown Swine. Christopher Engle, 14, son of Chris and Crystal Engle won Champion Homegrown Swine with his pig named "Tubby," while his cousin, Maddie, 16, daughter of Craig and Nancy Engle, won Reserve Homegrown Swine with "Diesel."

Emiliano Padilla, 11, of Somerset, son of Mario and Mirella Padilla, won Champion County Bred Market Swine with "Lola," while Emily Hutchinsen, of Rockwood, won reserve.

At the Market Goat Show on Aug. 20, Tessa Stahl, 22, daughter of Kermit and Greta Stahl, of Somerset, won Grand Champion for the fourth straight time at the Somerset County Fair in the goat competition. She also won supreme breeding doe and supreme champion breeding ewe during the week.

Kinley Dull, 14, daughter of Fred and Michelle Dull, of Friedens, won Reserve Market Goat at the same competition and also Reserve Heifer during the Beef Breeding Show.

Allison Creegan, of Hyndman, took top honors for Homegrown Market Goat, while Noah Lehman, of Boswell, won reserve in homegrown.

Allie Zeigler, 18, daughter of Jamie and Erica Salsgiver, of Stoystown, won Champion County Bred Goat, while Karaha Snyder, of Meyersdale, won reserve.

Sami Hayman, 16, daughter of Jonathan and Holly Hayman, of Berlin, won Grand Champion Market Lamb and Reserve County Bred Lamb, while Lindsey Robertson, daughter of Doug and Aimee Robertson, of Meyersdale, won Reserve Champion Lamb.

Caleb Antram of Somerset won Champion Homegrown Market Lamb, while Emiliano Padilla won reserve.

Abby Shuck, 19, daughter of Dale and Tonya Shuck, of Garrett, won Champion County Bred Market Lamb.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Champions of the Somerset County Fair