They Drove Pigs To The Winner's
Circle Friday Night
by: Bobby McDonald
With almost 100 FFA and 4-H Club members entered in this this year's NETLA Market Swine Show, action was swift and the ring got crowded at times, as local youth presented their swine projects to the judge, Friday night. A large crowd of friends, parents, spectators, and fellow exhibitors were on hand to witness the 2006 Show. "We had another increase in entries in our show this year," advised Swine Superintendent Richard Dannheim. "The swine entries were reflective of an increase in entries throughout this year's show!"
Action began with the Senior Showmanship competition and featued those youth 13 years and over, making an effort to present their animal in the best possible manner before the judge, who was looking for showing methods as well as grooming of the animal. A Hopkins County 4-H member, Jake Stevens, bested his fellow exhibitors to win the Senior award. The judge mentioned another Hopkins County 4-H member, Tate Ramirez, as the runner-up for the title.
And, Tate's little sister, Madison Ramirez, won the Junior Showmanship Award, when she exhibited her pig better than any of those youth under 13 years of age.
Hopkins County 4-H member, Jake Stevens, receives a congratulatory hand shake from
the judge, upon winning the Senior Swine Showmanship Award.
A "beaming" Hopkins County 4-H member, Madison Ramirez, proudly accepts a hand shake that
signaled her winning the Junior Swine Showmanship Award.
Once the showmanship contests were completed, the action shifted to six individual weight classes of swine, that were grouped according to other animals of the same weight range. The six classes represented youth from all of the schools in Hopkins County, that show in the NETLA Show, each year. There were exhibitors from Cumby, Miller Grove, Sulphur Springs, North Hopkins, Sulphur Bluff, and Como-Pickton.
Dallas Dannheim, left, and Lindsey Fouse, both Hopkins Co. 4-H members present their swine projects to the judge.
Koyt Koon, a Sulphur Springs FFA member, left, and Katie Dougan, right, a Hopkins Co. 4-H member,
are shown placing their pigs in the winner's circle.
Micah Walden, left, a Como-Pickton FFA member, and Kaylee Anderson, a memberof the Hopkins Co. 4-H, exhibit
their pigs before the judge and a large crowd of spectators, at Friday night's show.
Somer Gregory, a member of the Sulphur Springs FFA, left, and Morgan Lampp, a member of Hopkins Co. 4-H present
their swine projects to the judge.
Alex Mowat, a member of the Como-Pickton FFA, and Jamie Miller, a member of the Sulphur
Springs FFA, were two of the middle-weight swine exhibitors.
The competition was "keen" throughout the swine show, as the judge commented on a number of individuals that exhibited outstanding quality and depth of quality throughout the classes. When the class winners were named, the top two individuals in each class was returned to the ring for the Championship Drive. In what took the judge approximately 10 minutes to make his decision, Jake Stevens, a Hopkins County 4-H member, found himself and his medium-weight purebred Hampshire barrow, in the spotlight again. Jake's pig was named Grand Champion of the Show. And, a Sulphur Bluff FFA member, Helena Wall, was named to the Reserve Grand Champion honors, with her cross-bred pig.
Jake Stevens, a Hopkins County 4-H member, was awarded Grand Champion honors
with his purebred Hampshire pig.
Sulphur Bluff FFA member, Helena Wall, drives her crossbred pig to Reserve Champion
honors, on Friday night.
Following the Championship Drive, a sale line-up had to be arranged and the top pigs were returned to the ring to determine their order in the Sale of Champions to be conducted at 6:00 p.m., Saturday night.
Shane Watson, one of the adult leaders helping conduct the swine show, watches as the judge selects the
sale order for the Sale of Champions.
Tate Ramirez presents his Hampshire barrow to the judge to determine his order in
Saturday night's Sale of Champions.
Swine exhibitors left the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center with some 35 exhibitors excited about securing a position in the Sale of Champions, as a soft rain was falling outside. Action will resume on Saturday morning, at 7:30 a.m., as the Market Broiler competition begins. The 2006 Steer Show will follow, and the Heifer show will be conducted at 12:00 noon.
Exhibitors invite the public to come out and watch them show their livestock on Saturday, and return to the Civic Center for the Buyer's Supper at 5:00 p.m. Then, the Sale of Champions will begin with the top animals being auctioned at 6:00 p.m.
