Going to the Hogs
By Kevin Spradlin, Cumberland Times News, Md.
Jul. 24–CUMBERLAND — The hog showmanship contest on Wednesday at the Allegany County Fair and Ag Expo was a combination of skill, patience and luck.
And for first-time participant Garrett Slider, 10, it also was about getting an education.
The South Penn Elementary School fifth-grader wasn’t perfect. He was unable to tell Colby Ferguson, event judge and an agricultural specialist with the Frederick County government, what type of breed Dale was.
Garrett did just fine for himself, though, and won 4-H Junior Division with Dale, a very heavy pig indeed. Human handlers used canes to tap their pigs’ shoulders gently to make them go left or right or back out of a corner. The goal was to get Dale, and his competitors, to rove back and forth in front of Ferguson as often as possible.
Ferguson told the spectators he generally scored two qualities before looking at the finer details. First, the handler had to show control of the animal. Second, the handler should be able to maintain eye contact with the judge while controlling the pig.
“I wanted to do it because it looked like fun,” Garrett said after owning the hand that Ferguson shook at the end of the contest, signaling his victory.
While waiting for his turn, he was able to catch a few tricks of the trade from Kara Chaney. Chaney, 17, won the FFA Senior Division with Sweetie Pie, a 253-pound York Cross.
The Fort Hill High School senior from Flintstone has won the event several times over the last 10 years. And, with a sheepish glance toward the ground, modestly admits that “when it comes to the hog show, I’m the girl to beat.”
The older competitors have to know a bit more than the younger handlers. When asked, Chaney told Ferguson the type of Sweetie Pie’s feed, what’s in the feed and even its daily rate of gain, a healthy 1.71 pounds per day over the past seven months. Sweetie Pie was born at 82 pounds. She weighed in Monday at 253 pounds.
Chaney said it’s important for her to win only because it’s proof that her showing skills are improving. She’ll likely need some of those connections with large animals later in life. Chaney said she aspires to be a large animal and equine veterinarian. She is enrolled in early college classes at Allegany College of Maryland and plans to study veterinary medicine at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
Fair events begin today at 9 a.m. with the 4-H/FFA goat judging and showmanship followed by an open class costume animal contest. Exhibits and gates open at 2 p.m. and rides are open at 5 p.m.
Later events include Mike Alberts and the Big “E” Band performing at 7:30 p.m. and an antique tractor parade beginning at 8 p.m.
The night’s events are capped by a 10 p.m. laser show.
Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.
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