Grand champion ribbons awarded in a host of categories

The exhibits attract thousands of visitors each year, but it is the exhibitors themselves who most look forward to the Alaska State Fair to see if they took grand champion honors in various categories.

From livestock to crops to fiber arts, there's a category at the Alaska State Fair for nearly every hobbyists. Whether making beer or finishing a cross-stitch, a category is available, and ribbons are given away.

In one of the biggest contests of the year, Brenna Dinkel continued a family tradition of producing giant cabbages. The 10-year-old had the heaviest cabbage, at 77.6 pounds, netting her $2,000. Noted farmer Scott Robb grew a 75.7-pounder and longtime Palmer resident Bob Thom took third with a 73.6-pound cabbage.

The following are grand champion award winners, as released by the Alaska State Fair:

Kraft/Carrs/Safeway Giant Cabbage Contest

1. Brenna Dinkel, Wasilla, 77.6 pounds ($2,000); 2. Scott Robb, Palmer, 75.7 pounds ($1,000); 3. Bob Thom, Palmer, 73.6 pounds ($500).

KMBQ Max Sherrod Junior Cabbage Contest

1. Christopher, Annie and Rosie Rush, Anchorage, 35 pounds ($250); 2. Timothy Downing, Wasilla, 33.6 pounds ($150); 3. Jennifer and Luke Faulkner, Palmer, 30.2 pounds ($100).

Dolls

Senior 60 + -- Yarn, thread and textile, Ella Abe, Palmer; Novelty, laura Milster, Eagle River; Clothing, Kathleen Daymude, Anchorage; Polymer clay, Irma Pallan, Anchorage. 12 and under -- Yarn, Mary Dempsey, Anchorage. Junior 13-17 -- Yarn, Natasha Meunier, Anchorage. Open -- Yarn, thread, textile -- Susan Maxwell, Anchorage; Porcelain, Shirley Novak, Sutton; Novelty doll, Brenna Wygant, Anchorage; Doll clothing, Annie Heffele, Wasilla; doll house and furniture, Ronald Arnold, Anchorage. Professional -- Doll clothing, Juanita Cowdery, Anchorage.

Fiber Arts

Open -- Household item, Kristina Tornquist, Palmer; Hand-prepared Fibers, Linda Condor, Anchorage; Collections, Cindy Wooding, Wasilla; Synthetic Dyed, Cindy Woodings, Big Lake; Felted from Woven Fabrics, Alma Blum, Palmer; Felted from Needle, Sandra Quimby, Wasilla; Surface Design Painting, Ruth Simpson, Sutton; Locker Hooking, Stephanie Wilson, Anchorage; Miscellaneous Fiber Arts, Sharon Sheehan, Palmer. Professional -- Clothing, Charilyn Caldwell, Palmer; Hand knitted/hand spun -- Charilyn Caldwell, Palmer. Juniors 13-17 -- Sythnetic dyed, Julia Arnado, Anchorage. 60+ -- Rug, Jean Long, Eagle River; felted from knitted fabrics, Carol Johnson, Palmer.

Baked goods, second-entry

Junior, 9 and under -- Yeast Bread, Lean Andrist, Palmer; Quick Bread, Halley Erickson, Palmer; Cake, Psalm McKinnis, Palmer; Pie, Kenton McKinnis, Palmer ; Cookies, Hayden Taylor, Eagle River. Junior 10-13 -- Yeast bread, Kenny Larson, Palmer; Quick Bread, Mary Krauszer, Wasilla; Cake, Megan Grove, Palmer; Pie, Seth McKinnis, Palmer; Cookies, Krista Gillson, Anchorage; Candy, Amanda Shoup, Eagle River; Specialty cake, Heather Downing, Wasilla. Junior 14-17 -- Yeast Bread, Brittany Andrew, Anchorage; Coake, Mary Rockey, Palmer; Cookies, Hannah Taylor, Eagle River; Candy, Amanda Longbrake, Chugiak. Open -- Yeast bread -- Larry Anderson, Chugiak; Quick Bread, Stephanie Rednon, Anchorage; Cake, Monte Magnum, Anchorage; Pie, Pam MacLellan, Anchorage; Cookies, Beverly Travis, Palmer; Candy, Carol Kuenning, Wasilla; Specialty cake, Kory Joyner, Anchorage. 60 and over -- Yeast bread, Sharon Kern, Palmer; Quick bread, Gloria Gale, Palmer; Cake, Martha Guinotte, Palmer; Pie, Gloria Gale, Palmer.

Baked goods, first entry

9 and younger -- Yeast bread, Ashton Lund, Wasilla; Quick bread, Ashley Baker, Wasilla; Cake, Ashton Lund, Wasilla; Pie, Ashley Baker, Wasilla; Cookies, Zoe Hixenbaugh, Palmer; Candy Maggie Godsey, Eagle River; Specialty cake, Kaden Weaver, Palmer. Juinor 10-13 -- Yeast bread, Bryce Jacobson, Palmer; Quick bread, Kenny Larson, Palmer; Cake, Alex Tritt, Wasilla; Pie, Rhonda Green, Wasilla; Cookies, Theresa Mary VanHyning, Wasilla; Candy, Samuel Lendir, Eagle River. Junior 14-17 -- Yeast bread, Kateland Hilty, Wasilla; Quick Bread, Liza Krauszer, Wasilla; Cake, Pearl Weaver, Palmer; Pie, Cole Jacobson, Palmer; Cookies, Hannah Taylor, Eagle River; Candy, Jessica Weltzerell, Palmer; Specialty cake, Amanda Longbrake, Chugiak. Open -- yeast bread, Debbie Ramin, Wasilla; Quick bread, Derothy Myhre, Palmer; Cake, James Eshenower, Palmer; Pie, Charlie Fellman, Palmer; Cookies, Shirley Shaw, Wasilla; Candy, Josh Martin, Palmer. Seniors -- Yeast bread, Gloria Gale, Palmer; Quick bread, Ruth Crandall, Wasilla; Cookies, Sharon Kern, Palmer; Candy, Janet Sacheck, Willow. Professional -- Specialty cake, Irina Matyukhla, Anchorage.

Flowers, second entry

Perennials & Biennials, Garnett Morrow Sr., Anchorage; Annuals, Mary Boyd, Palmer; Gladioli, Mary Weir, Palmer; Trees & Shrubs, Paul Goocey, Chugiak; Roses, Nancy Beck, Anchorage; Lilies, Helen Drabeck, Palmer; Collections, Garnett Morrow Sr., Anchorage; Contain Grown Plants, Robert Fo; Artistic Design, Open, Dorte Mobley, Wasilla; Artistic Design, Senior 60+, Aedene Arthur, Palmer; Artistic Design, Open, Michelle Moss, Wasilla; Juniors, 12 & Under, James Lofgren, Wasilla; Juniors 13-17, Mary Krauszer, Wasilla.

Poultry, second entry

Male -- Goose, Susan Dent, Wasilla; Miscellaneous, Eddie Muncy, Palmer. Female -- Chicken, April Wright, Sutton.

Crops, second entry

Herbs, Mary Harris, Wasilla; Collections, Kelley Griffin, Wasilla; Wildberries, Sally Pollen, Palmer; Cultivated berries, Jay Dearborn, Palmer; Wildlife value and poisonous berries, Vi Norbo, Palmer; Tree and shrub fruit, George McClure, Palmer; Potatoes, Vi Norbo, Palmer; Greenhouse grown, Mary Harris, Wasilla; Junior outdoor vegetables, Triston Hubbs, Wasilla; Outdoor grown, Pia Cottini, Palmer.

Alaska Grown Ag Day Results

Potato slingshot bowling -- adults, 1. Michelle Haney, Palmer; 2. Morgans Tyler, Palmer; 3. Julie Forsyth, Anchorage. Children, 1. Logan Ahrens, Palmer; 2. Coleman Ahrens, Palmer; 3. Liam Jones.

Speed pea shelling -- adults, 1. Kim Matie, Anchorage; 2. Morgans Tyler, Palmer; 3. Carla Eisberg, Eagle River. Children, 1. Kelly Eisberg, Eagle River; 2. Holly Haney, Palmer; 3. Dylan Jacobs, Palmer.

Musk ox chip challenge -- adults, 1. Carla Eisberg; 2. Steve Hamilton; 3. Michael McKoon, Anchorage. Children, 1. Joseph Kaufman; 2. Kelly Eisberg; 3. Liam Jones.

Hay bale toss -- men, 1. Jay Harrell, Hicks Creek; 2. Randy Patzkowsky, Hicks Creek; 3. Joe Kaufman, Chugiak. Women, 1. Emery Tyler, Palmer.

Fiddle contest

Overall -- 1. Amanda Kerr; 2. Jim Kerr; 3. Matt Crimp. Young'un -- 1. Celina Famer; 2. Sijjo Smith. Youth -- 1. Amanda Kerr; 2. Matt Smith; 3. Matt Crimp. Bluegrass -- 1. Amanda Kerr; 2. Matt Smith; 3. Carter Marvin. Irish -- 1. Liz Conway; 2. Eric Conway; 3. David Smith. Old time -- 1. Jim Kerr.

Great Alaska Chili Challenge

People's choice -- Mary Holmes, Anchorage. Grand champion -- William Johnson, Anchorage; 1. Mary Holmes, Anchorage; 2. Luis Selgadd, Eagle River; 3. Rdry Spurlock, Anchorage.

Habitat pie baking

1. Patty Kersbergen, Veggie salmon pot pie; 2. Annik Amato, Wasilla, Susitna pot pie; 3. Patty Kersbergen, Rhubarb-berry pie.