By Jordan Studer
jstuder@wbcowqel.com
Hard work paying off seemed to be the theme of Thursday evening’s Junior Fair Market Hog Show. Not only were the exhibitors sweating from the unpleasant heat of the day, but the intense competition was adding some extra perspiration to their serious faces.
Feeling the enormous rush of excitement after all the sweat and hard work had took her to the top was young Atlee Miller of Heartland 4-H Club. Miller had a plethora of wins for the evening taking home Heavyweight Market Gilt Grand Champion, Overall Market Gilt Grand Champion, Overall Grand Champion, and most impressively Overall Carlot and Market Grand Champion.
“It’s great because I’ve worked through these months just working with my animal. It’s taken a lot of effort to get him this far. You have to wash him, feed him, every day and night. Which you have to be really committed to which a lot of people might not be but when you are it really pays off in the end…I’ve never made it this far ever,” commented Miller when excitedly explaining how her dedication to what she loves has finally rewarded her.
The amount of poise and confidence that Miller carried herself with in the arena with her hog, “Pork,” was a clear sign that she felt sure she could succeed. Her hog appeared as though it was in sync with her every movement, showing that she had spent many hours walking with him in preparation for that very day.
Each time she received an award, her bright smile broke through her determined expression, showing her excitement to be receiving such an honor. Miller cannot wait to see what her high school showing career has in store for her as she continues to pour her dedication into preparing her animals.
Snagging the title of Overall Carlot and Market Reserve Champion was Alexus Burkhart, another success story of the evening. In addition to the Overall Carlot and Market Reserve Champion title, Burkhart also went home with the awards of Overall Market Barrow Grand Champion, Lightweight Market Barrow Reserve Champion, and Heavyweight Market Barrow Grand Champion. She then continued on to bring home the title of Overall Reserve Champion.
Burkhart mentioned that although she has shown hogs since she was able to, this is her first appearance back in the Crawford County show arena with a hog for two years.
The break from showing hogs clearly didn’t not hinder Burkhart’s and her hog “Zeke’s” ability to succeed. In fact, it seemed to help her ability at the Crawford County Fair. Burkhart mentioned that when she had shown hogs before she had done well in showmanships, but placing in the classes didn’t seem to be in her favor in Crawford County.
She also mentioned that she has a lot of experience at the Ohio State Fair showing hogs and has done very well there in the past. Sticking with the Ohio State success she has had, ironically she named her winning hog after the star Ohio State football player Ezekiel Elliot. The luck of the buckeye seemed to pull through for the win in yet another competition besides football.
Her comeback year, full of hard work, paid off. Upon questioning Burkhart on the reason she decided it was time to return to showing her snouted friends she said she missed the enjoyment they gave her.
“I was like, I really like the pigs so I want to get back in it this year,” Burkhart replied.
Another exhibitor decided to name his pig after an Ohio State icon, Brutus Buckeye. Brenden Grady and his hog “Brutus” won the title of Heavyweight Carlot Grand Champion as well as Overall Carlot Grand Champion.
When joking with Grady that maybe the Ohio State names played a big part in the success of those particular hogs he just laughed and said that it had to be.
Grady was yet another champion exhibitor to mention that pigs are a lot of hard work, but the success that it brings was worth it especially when you enjoy working with pigs.
“It takes a lot of work to do pigs. You gotta scoop a lot. You gotta make sure they are cooled down, because they get over heated pretty easily,” Grady commented.
The common consensus for the evening seemed to be that despite the hard work that exhibitors and their families pour into their hogs, the reward is great.
Results
Lightweight Market Barrow Grand Champion: Allie Burris
Lightweight Market Barrow Reserve Champion: Alexus Burkhart
Middleweight Grand Champion: Addison Wood
Middleweight Reserve Champion: Lexie Wood
Heavyweight Market Barrow Grand Champion: Alexus Burkhart
Heavyweight Market Barrow Reserve Champion: Addison Wood
Overall Market Barrow Grand Champion: Alexus Burkhart
Overall Market Barrow Reserve Champion: Addison Wood
Lightweight Market Gilt Grand Champion: Caitlin Koschnik
Lightweight Market Gilt Reserve Champion: Lainey Holman
Middleweight Market Gilt Grand Champion: Lyndie Williams
Middleweight Market Gilt Reserve Champion: Kendall Widman
Heavyweight Market Gilt Grand Champion: Atlee Miller
Heavyweight Market Gilt Reserve Champion: Kerston Hulsmeyer
Overall Market Gilt Grand Champion: Atlee Miller
Overall Market Gilt Reserve Champion: Lyndie Williams
Overall Grand Champion: Atlee Miller
Overall Reserve Champion: Alexus Burkhart
Lightweight Carlot Grand Champion: Kendall Widman
Lightweight Carlot Reserve Champion: Hannah Fieldman
Middleweight Carlot Grand Champion: Bergan Leonhardt
Middleweight Carlot Reserve Champion: Owen Kocher
Heavyweight Carlot Grand Champion: Brenden Grady
Heavyweight Carlot Reserve Champion: Kendall Widman
Overall Carlot Grand Champion: Brenden Grady
Overall Carlot Reserve Champion: Bergan Leonhardt
Overall Carlot & Market Grand Champion: Atlee Miller
Overall Carlot & Market Reserve Champion: Alexis Burkhart