18-pound ham goes for $10M at Country Ham Breakfast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WLKY) – The grand champion ham at the Kentucky State Fair is worth a whopping $10 million.

That’s how much it was auctioned for during the Country Ham Breakfast, and all of that money is going to charity.

With a combined bid of $10 million, former UN ambassador Kelly Craft and her husband, Joe Craft, along with Central Bank, won the grand champion country ham.

Weighing in at a little over 18 pounds, this beauty was produced out of Lyon County, and as always, the proceeds will go toward charity.

Kristen Branscum, Craft family representative, says, “This money will go to build 57 new homes for families in Knott County in a new community called Chestnut Ridge for families that lost everything in the eastern Kentucky floods.”

The list continues with several boys and girls clubs in the commonwealth, to the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Branscum, speaking on behalf of the Crafts, says each corner of Kentucky will benefit from this record breaking bid.

More than 1,600 attended the ham breakfast Thursday morning, including Gov. Andy Beshear and senate minority leader Mitch McConnell.

Commissioner of agriculture Ryan Quarles also attended the event.

He said one of the things he’s most proud of is how far the country ham breakfast has come.

“A lot of state fairs are known for particular things,” Quarles said. “Iowa is known for a butter cow; Kentucky is known for now as $10 million dollar country ham.”