Lawrence Wins at Hoosier Beef Congress
Published: Friday, December 12, 2025
Competing in her final Hoosier Beef Congress, Sage Lawrence of Noble County finished her career in grand style last weekend. The 21-year-old won senior showmanship and was named the overall supreme champion show-man.
For her, it was a special moment, particularly for her parents, Scott and Susan Law-rence.
"My family has helped me a bunch," she said. "I am the last one of three kids to ex-hibit, so it's kind of bitter-sweet for my family."
With last Saturday's victory at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Sage has won every age division in the HBC showmanship contest. She was named reserve senior showman two years ago and had also captured the champion awards in the novice, junior and interme-diate divisions.
She and her family raise Hereford cattle. This year, Sage exhibited a Hereford heifer named Norma Jane.
Being in the winner's circle at Hoosier Beef Congress is familiar territory for the Oklahoma State University junior. She is majoring in animal science with a minor in plant and soil science. She is also a member of the school's livestock judging team.
When asked to share some parting advice for other exhibitors, Law-rence stressed the importance of diligence.
"The only thing is staying hard at work at home, even on the days you don't want to go out and you don't really want to do it," she said. "You've got to keep pushing yourself to do it, because in the end, like today, it pays off."
As the overall showmanship winner, Lawrence received the Ken Torr Memorial Scholarship.
Competing with Lawrence in the showman-ship finals were Audrey Waits, Rush County, intermediate champion; Piper Unger, Sullivan County, junior champion; and Elsie Rudolf, Dearborn County, novice champion.
Avery Hess of Elkhart County was the reserve champion in senior showmanship. Others in the top five were: Stormi Swaim, Parke County, third; Grace Klinkhamer, Tippecanoe County, fourth; and Glennys McGuck, Fountain County, fifth. The judge was Brian Rogers of Texas.
The top five showmen in intermediate showmanship were: Waits, champion; Emmaline Freed, Noble County, reserve cham-pion; Bailee Tracy, Whitley County, third; Haley Nelson, Kosciusko County, fourth; and Emma Wagler, Johnson County, fifth. The judge was Kass Newell of Oklahoma.
The top five showmen in junior showmanship were: Unger, champion; Kylee Pettigrew, Whitley County, reserve champion; Reid Patterson, Monroe County, third; Cohen Kober, Wells County, fourth; and Bristol Demaree, Boone County, fifth. The judge was Dalton Newell of Oklahoma.
In novice showmanship, the top five exhibitors were: Rudolf, champion; Jagger Beretta, Johnson County, reserve cham-pion; Brooks Pettigrew, Whitley County, third; Campbell Boocher, Madison County, fourth; and Kenley Knotts, Putnam County, fifth. The judge was Caroline Rogers.
For Rogers, this year's beef congress served as a home-coming in more than one way. An Indiana native, she is the daughter of Steve and Janet Gunn of Greensburg. The Gunns were early organizers of the very first HBC in 1986, when Janet was pregnant with Caroline.
Caroline and her husband Brian now live at a cattle ranch in Texas. Both served as showmanship judges for this year's beef congress.
The 2025 showmanship contest featured a record 625 entries, according to John Blake, HBC chair from Benton County.
The number of cattle at the Indiana State Fairgrounds last weekend totaled 1,025. That included 398 steers and 627 heifers.
The number is down slightly from previous years, but Blake attribut-ed that to cold, snowy weather that kept some families away.
Overall, he was impressed by the number of cattle and the enthusiasm of the exhibitors.
When asked to comment on what that says about the Indiana cattle industry, Blake said, "It says that we're really strong and we have great families. Our future is bright with our youth."
Last Friday, approximately 60 exhibitors competed in a benefit for Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. The showmanship event, known as "Ringside for Riley," was open to adults only. All the money raised—$18,104 at last count—will be donated to the hospital.
Andon Zehring, 19, of Leesburg, who was a Riley patient at 7 months old and is now cancer-free, served as the judge. The winner of the showmanship contest was Brian Shuter, executive vice president of the Indiana Beef Cattle Assn.
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