The first day of the pig show was as to be expected: Hectic.
My family and I started off the morning by loading pigs onto the trailer and transporting them to the fair. When we arrived, we put shavings in the pens and put the pigs into their pens.
After the pigs were placed in their pens, my family registered the pigs at the registration desk and weighed in pigs. Weighing in pigs consists of moving the pigs into the show arena, where they are weighed and put into classes based on weight or birthdate. These classes determine when you show and how many pigs are in each class.
Classes often have a variety of numbers of pigs in them. Some classes have one pig in them, and others may have eight or nine. Classes are separated by breed, and within those breeds, by birthdate.
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The crossbred portion of classes works a bit differently. Because crossbreds do not possess papers that give an official birthdate, they are separated by weight. The weight range differs drastically throughout the classes also. Some classes may have a 2-pound weight range and others 20.
Following registration, the swine barn staff went around the barn to check purebred papers and make sure the ear notches on the pig matched the ear notches on the paper. This ensures that the pig is the same pig that was registered at swine identification day in May. Once all of the purebred papers were verified, I washed my pigs.
After my pigs were washed and dried, I went home to start getting ready for the show. When I got home, I changed clothes, did my hair and put on my show boots. Then I drove back to the fairgrounds, where I waited for classes to be posted. My classes revealed that my hamp gilt was in Class 4 and my cross gilt was in Class 13. I was also in the fifth class of showmanship.
Once the show began, I began getting my pigs show-ring ready. Being show-ring ready is having no shavings on the pig, making sure there is no dry skin and ensuring that the pig has no waste products on them.
My hamp gilt placed first in her class and won the title of champion hamp gilt. My cross gilt placed fifth in her class, and I was extremely proud of the both of them. When the grand champion drive came around, I took in my hamp gilt because she was a champion of her breed. While my pig didn’t place, many of my friends did, and I am very happy for them.
Showmanship classes came quickly following the gilt show. When the voice over the speaker called for Class 5 to the show arena, I brought my cross gilt into the show arena and waited in the holding pens behind the ring. When the Class 4 winners were announced and all of the pigs had left the ring, I squatted down in the pen and began rubbing my pig’s face and belly to keep her calm.
The judge motioned for me to come into the ring, and I slowly walked my pig out of the pen. When my pig and I were out of the pen, I closed the gate and made steady eye contact with the judge. The judge allowed everyone in the class to be in the ring, and then he penned me. Being penned meant that I was moving onto the finals for the senior division of showmanship.
Once the judge had penned the people he wanted to move into the finals, the rest of the class was dismissed, and those who were penned were allowed to cool their pigs off in the wash rack until they were called back into the ring.
Back in the ring, competition was stiff. I placed fifth in the finals, and I felt extremely proud of myself and my pig.
Show days can be very stressful, but my family is amazing when it comes to helping out each other and making sure everything runs smoothly. I am extremely proud of everything that I accomplished Monday, and I cannot wait to show again at the barrow show.