The fair also saw a record number of youth livestock show participants and collected 17,651 pounds of canned food donations. 

The western region was well represented at the fair, with a Haywood County woman winning the first two cooking contests of the week. Clyde resident Jennifer Currie took first in both the tomato and trout cooking contests. 

Western North Carolina also had a strong showing in the fair’s plethora of livestock competitions. 

Andi Setser of Macon County was the Reserve Grand Champion in the Saanens category for the Open Junior Doe Show.

Montana Boatwright of Macon County was the Junior Showmanship champion for ages 9-13 in Junior Beef Showmanship.

Aiden Pitts of Macon County was the Open Feeder Steer Reserve Grand Champion, the Open Feeder Steer Got to Be NC Reserve Grand Champion and the Open Market Steer Got to Be NC Grand Champion for the Open Junior Beef Steer Show. Pitts was named the WNC District Market Steer Grand Champion, the WNC District Junior Feeder Steer Grand Champion, and the WNC District Junior Market Steer Got to Be NC Champion.

Cole Williams of Haywood County was the Commercial Reserve Grand Champion Junior Heifer Champion and Commercial Got to Be NC Grand and Reserve Grand Champion, and the Reserve Supreme Got to Be NC Champion Junior Heifer winner in the Open Junior Beef Heifer Show. Williams was named the Commercial Grand Champion Heifer winner in the WNC District Junio Beef Heifer Show. 

Hannah Smith of Macon County was the All Other Breeds Got to Be NC Reserve Grand Champion Junior Heifer winner in the Open Junior Beef Heifer Show.

Logan Ball was the Supreme Champion Junior Heifer winner in the Open Junior Beef Heifer Show. Ball was named the Supreme Champion Junior Beef Heifer winner in the WNC District Junior Beef Heifer Show. 

Karissa Collins of Macon County was named the WNC District Junior Feeder Steer Reserve Grand Champion. 

Bentley Stafford of Haywood County was the Youth Bantam Poultry Reserve Champion in the Youth Poultry Show. 

Reagan Ensley was the Reserve Champion Junior Commercial Does winner in the Junior Market Meat Goat Show. 

Sol Sutton of Haywood County was the Junior Reserve Champion Female, Senior Reserve Champion Female, Reserve Grand Champion and Junior County Herd winner in the Brown Swiss division of the Junior Dairy Cattle Show. 

Avery King of Jackson County was the Junior Champion Female and Grand Champion winner in the Brown Swiss division of the Junior Dairy Cattle Show. 

Heath McGaha of Haywood County was the Junior Champion and Reserve Champion Females and Senior Champion, Reserve Champion Females, Grand Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, Junior Best Three Females and Breeder’s Herd of Five Females winner for the Brown Swiss division of the Open Dairy Cattle Show. 

The next Mountain State Fair will be held Sept. 8-17, 2023, at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher.