Korben Gossen from Corn, OK in Washita County recently placed first in the White Bread Category of the Junior Division at the State “Best of Wheat” Bread Baking contest held on September 21st at the Oklahoma State Fair. His entry of Moist White Bread topped the other entries in the class and also won him the title of Grand Champion for the Junior Division.
The contest is an annual event sponsored by the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and State Fair of Oklahoma. “We had 104 entries from 43 counties this year, all champion or reserve champion winners in the county contests,” said Raymond Parrish, Chairman of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission. “We had great attendance and always enjoy the opportunity to award the top bread bakers in the state.”
The contest consists of 12 classes, 6 in the senior division and 6 in the junior division. Senior division classes include white bread, whole wheat bread, dinner rolls, other wheat breads, sweet breads, and bread machine. Junior division classes include white bread, dinner rolls, other wheat breads, sweet breads, specialty shape breads, and bread machine.
State Champions in the Junior division include: Korben Gossen Washita county, white bread; Ridge Spray, Woodward county, dinner rolls; Delissa Evans, Kingfisher county, other wheat breads; Malley Baker, Custer county, sweet breads; Hazel Benson, Garfield county, specialty shape breads and Raylie Latta, Ellis county, bread machine. A cookbook with the top 5 recipes of every class from the Best of Wheat competition will be available on-line January 2026 at www.okwheat.org.
The Oklahoma Wheat Commission is funded by the Oklahoma wheat producer and promotes greater utilization of Oklahoma wheat in both domestic and international markets through research, market development and public education. Five wheat producers representing designated districts across the state serve as the Oklahoma Wheat Commission’s board of directors. Current officers are Raymond Parrish, chairman, Hunter; Jerry Wiebe, vice-chairman, Hooker; Michael Peters, secretary- treasurer, Okarche; David Gammill, member, Chattanooga; and Tom Cannon, member, Blackwell.
EDITORS NOTE: Korben also won Best of Show and Overall Grand Champion with his star bread State Fair entry. His sister Kendallyn Gossen won two Best of Shows with her Challah bread and latch hook pillow.
Kendallyn placed second in the Oklahoma Wheat Commission contest with her strawberry cream cheese braid bread.
Bailey Gossen received 19 blue rib- bons and 10 second place ribbons at the State Fair.