A fair kid, through and through

Virgil Strickler

Growing up in Fairfield County, Ohio, Virgil Strickler’s summers were devoted to the county fair, where he showed hogs and cattle: “There was a lot of competition at my county fair, especially when I showed against my cousins, but it was so much fun! 

The fair was like summer camp for me,” said Strickler. “I was given a lot of freedom to hang out with friends and fellow exhibitors and hated having to leave the fairgrounds and all my friends at the end of the week.” 

As the longest-running general manager for the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair, he has impacted the lives of countless 4-H’ers through meaningful changes to the livestock exhibition process. 

“When I started working as ag director, I noticed that many of the youth exhibitors didn’t know much about their projects,” said Strickler. He knew there had to be something to combat this, so he worked with 

colleagues to implement Skillathons at the Ohio State Fair: “Since starting Skillathons, I’ve been so impressed by how knowledgeable the kids are about their animals. Most of the time, they know more than I do!” 

Strickler was also the impetus behind the Outstanding Market Exhibitor (OME) Program at the Ohio State Fair and worked to put caps on the Sale of Champions Livestock Auction. “The OME Program not only helps youth increase their understanding of the animals they show, but it also provides scholarships for these outstanding exhibitors,” said Strickler. Many of these scholarships are made possible because of the caps placed on the auction, as money from auction sales that exceeds the cap amount goes back to the youth exhibitors through the Youth Reserve Program. 

Strickler credits 4-H with teaching him many of the skills that have remained with him throughout his career: “In addition to instilling a deep love and appreciation for agriculture, I became more outgoing, developed public speaking skills, and learned the 

importance of building and cultivating a network of friends and colleagues everywhere I go.” 

“Ohio 4-H also introduced me to mentors that have molded me into the strong leader I am today,” said Strickler. He considers his Extension educator, Don Sharp, and former State 4-H Leader, Jim Helt, to be some of the most influential role models in his life, and he is grateful for the lessons they taught him as a young 4-H’er: “I can only hope that one day others will say I helped mold and encourage them, just like others have done for me.”