Photo caption: Korben Gossen, Corn, and Renee English, Oklahoma City, receive grand champion bread trays at the 2025 State Fair “Best of Wheat” Bread Baking Contest. Gossen’s entry of “Moist White Bread” took grand prize over all other champions in the junior division. English’s entry of “Fluffy Friday Challah” rose to the top, landing her grand prize over all the other champions in the senior division.
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest returned to the Oklahoma State Fair on Sept. 21, bringing together bakers from across the state to celebrate the craft of bread making. The 2025 competition highlighted creativity, tradition and the joy of sharing homemade loaves.
The contest is an annual event sponsored by the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and the Oklahoma State Fair.
“We had 104 entries from 43 counties this year, all champion or reserve champion winners in the county contests,” said Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman. “We had great attendance and always enjoy the opportunity to award the top bread bakers in the state.”
The contest consisted of 12 classes — six in the senior division and six in the junior division. Senior division classes included white bread, whole wheat bread, dinner rolls, other wheat breads, sweet breads and bread machine. Junior division classes included white bread, dinner rolls, other wheat breads, sweet breads, specialty shape breads and bread machine.
Renee English of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, placed first in the other wheat bread category of the senior division. Her impeccably braided entry, “Fluffy Friday Challah,” was baked to perfection throughout and suitable for any picture-perfect display. The consistent texture of her loaf had exquisite flavor that ultimately allowed her loaf to be tapped in the final round of competition, giving her the title of the senior division grand champion.
Korben Gossen of Corn, Washita County, placed first in the white bread category of the junior division with his entry, Moist White Bread. His loaf had perfect shape, texture and flavor. The flawlessly-baked entry earned him the title of junior division grand champion.
Other junior division champions included: 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.
Other senior division champions included: Renee Howard, Jackson County, white bread; DeAnna Stanga, Mayes County, whole wheat breads; Coletta Greer, Beckham County, dinner rolls; Valerie Jones, Oklahoma County, sweet breads; and Katherine Taggart, Caddo County, bread machine.
A cookbook with the top five recipes in every class from the Best of Wheat competition will be available online in January 2026 at www.okwheat.org.
The Oklahoma Wheat Commission is funded by Oklahoma wheat producers and promotes greater use of wheat in both domestic and international markets through research, market development and public education. Five wheat producers represent designated districts across the state as members of the OWC board of directors. Current officers are Parrish, chairman, Hunter; Jerry Wiebe, vice chairman, Hooker; Michael Peters, secretary-treasurer, Okarche; David Gammill, member, Chattanooga; and Tom Cannon, member, Blackwell.
Photos:
Grand champions:
Renee English of Oklahoma City received her grand champion bread tray at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest for her Fluffy Friday Challah in the other wheat bread class. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; English; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga.
The prize-winning Fluffy Friday Challah bread that earned English champion in the other wheat breads senior division, and later, grand champion overall.
Korben Gossen of Corn received his grand champion bread tray at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest for his Moist White Bread in the white bread class. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Gossen; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga.
Gossen’s prize-winning loaf — Moist White Bread.
Senior division champions
Renee Howard of Headrick received her champion bread tray and blue ribbon at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest for her entry of White Bread in the white bread class.
DeAnna Stanga of Locust Grove received her champion bread tray at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest for her entry of DeAnna’s Whole Wheat Bread using fresh-milled flour in the whole wheat bread class. From left are Raymond Parrish, chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Stanga; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga.
Coletta Greer of Sweetwater received her champion bread tray at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest for her entry of Dough Ahead Dinner Rolls in the dinner rolls class. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Greer; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga, presented the champion tray.
Valerie Jones of Edmond received her champion bread tray at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest for her entry of Cinnamon Star Bread in the sweet breads class. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Jones; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga.
Katherine Taggart of Fort Cobb won first place in the bread machine category with her Cinnamon Swirl Bread recipe at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Taggart; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga.
Junior division champions
Ridge Spray of Woodward received his champion bread tray at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest for his entry of Wheat Parmesan Cheese Dinner Rolls in the dinner rolls class. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Spray; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga.
Delissa Evans of Kingfisher received her champion bread tray at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest for her entry of Homemade Honey Wheat Bread in the other wheat bread class. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Evans; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga.
Malley Baker of Clinton received her champion bread tray at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest for her entry of Cinnamon Roll Twist with Brown Butter Frosting in the sweet breads class. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Baker; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga.
Hazel Benson of Waukomis received her champion bread tray in the specialty shape bread category at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest with her Whole Wheat Bunny Bread recipe. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Benson; and David Gammill, OWC board member, Chattanooga.
Raylie Latta of Arnett won first place in the bread machine category with her Cheese Jalapeño Bread recipe at the 2025 State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest. From left are Raymond Parrish, OWC chairman, Hunter; Bailey Gossen, Miss Elk City Teen; Latta; and David Gammill, board member, Chattanooga.