Miniature butter cows on display | Community & Lifestyle

Farm scenes, naturally, inspire each year’s new sculpture of the beloved butter cow at the Illinois State Fair. However, sculptors participating in the annual Miniature Butter Cow Contest sponsored by Illinois Times and Prairie Farms Dairy don’t have that limitation.

Inspiration can come from anywhere. Even viral internet items. Just ask contestant Amy Hood of Springfield.

Hood’s entry, titled “Kiss Cam at the COLDbutter concert!” was – yes, you guessed it – inspired by the July 16 “Kiss cam” incident at a Coldplay concert.

In the incident, a company CEO and the company’s human resources chief were shown on a “kiss cam” embracing at the rock concert before they escaped the spotlight. The incident grabbed national attention and created a corporate scandal.

Memes popped up all over social media. The pair were spoofed on national television. And Stone, like many, couldn’t help but notice.

“I thought ‘This is literally everywhere,'” said Stone. She ran with the idea and had the sculpture done in time for the late July deadline. It depicts two cows embracing – just like the couple at the Coldplay concert.

“MOOving to the MOOsic at a Coldbutter concert, Cow Marten turned the kiss-cam to this cute COWple! The result was UDDER panic,” reads Hood’s caption with her work.

Four sticks of butter, food coloring and a shoebox diorama brought the concept to life, according to Stone. And don’t forget the chicken wire from the garden.

Stone, a contest first-timer, said she would be back next year. Next year’s sculpture concept will depend on what is in the news, she said.

This is the sixth year for the contest, which started in 2020 when the fair was canceled because of the COIVD-19 pandemic. It invites people to try their hand at sculpting their own butter cow creations.

Like the 500-pound butter cow, the miniature works also are on display in the Dairy Building.

This year’s top three finalists, in order, are Diane Hillard-Sembell, Pam Martin and Courtney Wick. It was Hillard-Sembell’s third straight year winning first place, based on online voting. Martin won in 2022.

The top three entries will receive cash prizes of $200, $100 and $50.

Hillard-Sembell’s sculpture, titled “Adventure Awaits – Golf court style,” depicts a cow and calf driving a golf cart. A pink pig is on the back. “Adventure Awaits” is this year’s fair theme. The sculpture includes a miniature version of the Abe Lincoln statue and small coliseum.

Pink hearts on the cows “salute health care,” according to Hillard-Sembell, of Springfield.

Gov. JB Pritzker joined other dignitaries Aug. 6 to unveil this year’s butter cow.

Moove over, Bessie

Aug. 7-17, during daily fair hours
Illinois State Fairgrounds
Dairy Building, Central Avenue
Free, 217-782-6661