CANFIELD – A group of five young people and their parents drove more than four hours to get to Canfield last Saturday morning just to get an opportunity to show their hogs.
The young people from Auglaize County came the furthest distance for the Penn-Ohio Jackpot Show June 16 at the Canfield Fairgrounds, but 90 hogs came from 17 counties in Pennsylvania and Ohio for the competition.
The show is arranged by a group of six swine producers to offer young people planning to enter their swine projects in county fairs an opportunity to practice showing, to take a showmanship class, and to get a pre-fair evaluation of the swine they are planning to show.
But the show is open to those not yet old enough to be eligible for 4-H, to give them a place to begin showing. There were several 4- and 5-year-old entrants.
Judge Rick Fogle selected the top five animals in each of the three gilt and three farrow classes, and then explained the strengths and weaknesses he saw in each animal.
Top three winners of the cash prizes in the show included:
Gilt classes – Kirt Flaute, New Bremen, Ohio, grand champion; J.R. Smith, Salem, Ohio, reserve champion; and Keith Clune, New Bremen, Ohio, third place.
Barrow classes – Heather Stoodt, Shelby, Ohio, grand champion; Codey Baker, East Rochester, Ohio, reserve champion, and Travis Reynolds, Greenville, Pa., third place.
Showmanship honors were given to Maverick Liles, Wapakoneta, Ohio, novice class for those 8 and younger; Kirt Flaute, junior class; Heather Stoodt, intermediate class; and Stephanie Vincent, East Canton, Ohio, senior class.
Producers who sponsored the show include Randy Smith, Roy Smith, Greg Sharp, Matt Fenton, John Winchell, and Grant McKinnis.
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