By Jordan Studer
CCN Reporter
BUCYRUS— The fruits of many hours of hard work and sacrifice were seen for many 4-H exhibitors Thursday evening at the Jr. Fair Market Hog Show. After a final drive filled with competition, it was Lori Millenbaugh who took home the title of Grand Champion Market Hog for back-to-back years.
Millenbaugh, a recent graduate of Colonel Crawford High School and current 4-H member of North Robinson Blue Ribbons, comes from a long line of family with great success showing hogs and other livestock. She credits her success in the ring to what she has learned from all of them.
“It goes all the way back to my grandpa. We’ve been involved with livestock all of our lives. It’s just a lot of knowledge and experience all the way through,” Millenbaugh said.
Although Millenbaugh was not able to clench a repeat title of Grand Champion Steer this year, she did not let that disappointment stop her from reaching for repeat win of Grand Champion Market Hog. When talking with Millenbaugh after the win, she could not contain her excitement.
“It’s amazing! I would never have expected this would have happened…It’s great to win the hog show two years in a row, it’s crazy.”
On top of winning Grand Champion Market Hog, Millenbaugh and Lady also took Lightweight Independent Gilt Champion, Overall Gilt Champion and Overall Independent Champion.
Despite the fact Millenbaugh graduated, she was happy to say that with the way her birthday falls she has another year to compete. She hopes to take home the title of Grand Champion Market Hog one more time, giving her a three year repeat win.
Taking home the Reserve Grand Champion Market Hog winnings were 14-year old 4-H member of Holmes Liberty Royal Lions was Lexi Wood and her hog, Jimmy. Wood also comes from a family who knows a lot about hard work and dedication.
“We breed our own hogs at home. Then me and my sister we pick out the best ones and split them between our cousins. Then we just start working with them and hand feeding them and walking them 15-minutes each night and washing them each night,” Wood explained.
Wood said that she has been showing hogs long before her 4-H years, making a total of 7 years in the ring. According to Wood, Winning Reserve Grand Champion Market Hog marks the highest achievement in the market hog show the Wood family has had yet, “we’ve got a few divisions before but never this high.”
Before the final drive, Wood already had the titles of Middleweight Independent Barrow Champion, Overall Independent Barrow Champion, Middleweight Independent Gilt Champion, Overall Independent Gilt Reserve Champion and Overall Independent Reserve Champion.
Wood’s older sister, Addison, also had a successful night, winning Heavyweight Independent Barrow Champion and getting the opportunity to show in the ring alongside her sister. Although A. Wood would have loved to win alongside her sister, she explained how she couldn’t have been more excited of Lexi.
“It’s just a lot of fun. I have a lot of fun with my family. We all work really hard… we’re walking different pigs every night. So Lexi’s success’ are definitely mine and when she wins I just feel it all the same, so I was happy… it was a good night,” A. Wood said.
Prior to choosing the overall winners of the night, Judge Will Hilty looked around the arena addressing those who may not have ended the night the way they wanted to.
“If you want to be out here, you’ve got to be willing to sacrifice. These kids are out here for a reason… it’s not that much to do with luck, it’s got more to do with hard work, determination and never giving up on your goals,” Hilty said.
Results from the evenings show can be found below:
Lightweight Carlot
Champion- Gracie Stirm
Reserve Champion- Adam Scott
Middleweight Carlot
Champion- CJ Stirm
Reserve Champion- Grace Stucky
Heavyweight Carlot
Champion- Cole Zender
Reserve Champion- Cruz Flick
Overall Carlot Champion
Champion- Cole Zender
Reserve Champion- CJ Stirm
Lightweight Independent Barrow
Champion- Kellen Burger
Reserve Champion- Grace Stucky
Middleweight Independent Barrow
Champion- Lexi Wood
Reserve Champion- Lyndie Williams
Heavyweight Independent Barrow
Champion- Addison Wood
Reserve Champion- Kelsie Williams
Overall Independent Barrow
Champion- Lexi Wood
Reserve Champion- Lyndie Williams
Lightweight Independent Gilt
Champion- Lori Millenbaugh
Reserve Champion- Atlee Miller
Middleweight Independent Gilt
Champion- Lexi Wood
Reserve Champion- Cole Zender
Heavyweight Independent Gilt
Champion- James Schiefer
Reserve Champion- Lyndie Williams
Overall Independent Gilt
Champion- Lori Millenbaugh
Reserve Champion- Lexi Wood
Overall Independent
Champion- Lori Millenbaugh
Reserve Champion- Lexi Wood
Champion Market Hog
Grand Champion- Lori Millenbaugh
Reserve Grand Champion- Lexi Wood