(St. Paul, MN) –June 1, 2022– The Minnesota State Fair is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2022 Beginning Exhibitor Livestock Learning Experience (BELLE) Grant, a program that awards grants and provides
mentors to youth livestock exhibitors who are first-time participants in the Minnesota State Fair. The
BELLE Grant is funded by the Minnesota State Fair Foundation.
The 16 recipients of the 2022 BELLE Grant are:
• Molly Albers of Dundas, Minn. (dairy cattle)
• Leah Alvord of Saint Joseph, Minn. (rabbits)
• Brienna Boersma of Lake Benton, Minn. (sheep)
• Brooklyn Boersma of Lake Benton, Minn. (goats)
• Riley Ebeling of Dunnell, Minn. (swine)
• Evelyn Griffin of Thief River Falls, Minn. (dairy cattle)
• Hanna Gudknecht of Wanamingo, Minn. (dairy cattle)
• Olivia Hollenkamp of Milaca, Minn. (dairy cattle)
• Kensey Johnson of Boyd, Minn. (swine)
• Hayden Lennes of Alexandria, Minn. (goats)
• Madycyn Leyk of Pine River, Minn. (beef cattle)
• Ava Muellerleile of Elysian, Minn. (beef cattle)
• Allison Ratka of Cold Spring, Minn. (dairy cattle)
• Aubree Roerick of Burtrum, Minn. (sheep)
• Sawyer Schendel of Milaca, Minn. (swine)
• Denica Sleiter of Morris, Minn. (rabbits)
The State Fair showcases our state’s finest agriculture and recognizes the importance of cultivating youth
experiences in the livestock industry. The BELLE Grant program helps finance participation while
introducing new livestock exhibitors to the Great Minnesota Get-Together. For more information about
this program visit mnstatefair.org/about-the-fair/awards-and-recognition/belle-grant/.
The BELLE Grant gifts $500 each to large-animal exhibitors entering beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses,
sheep, swine, goats and llamas, and $250 each to small-animal competitors exhibiting rabbits and poultry.
These funds help offset costs of participating in the fair, including travel, lodging and purchasing show
supplies. Applicants must be Minnesota residents between the ages of 10 and 18.
About Minnesota State Fair Foundation
The Minnesota State Fair Foundation’s nonprofit mission is to preserve and improve State Fair buildings,
the fairgrounds and educational programs. Foundation funds benefit the fair in the areas of agricultural
education, arts and culture, education, fairgrounds environment, and history and heritage. Visit
msffoundation.org for more information.
About Minnesota State Fair
The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world. Showcasing
Minnesota’s finest agriculture, art and industry, the Great Minnesota Get-Together is 12 Days of Fun
Ending Labor Day. The fair is self-supporting and has not received state government funding since 1949. The 2022 Minnesota State Fair will run Aug. 25 through Labor Day, Sept. 5. Visit mnstatefair.org for more information
