The 4-H and FFA grand champion market hogs at this year’s fair were born under careful watch at the exhibitors’ farms.
Connor Schomerus, the junior showman champion from the Better Ba-C’s 4-H club, showed the grand champion hog for the second consecutive year.
The 11-year-old son of Gale and Brenda Schomerus of Syracuse said this year was special because the pig was born on the farm. He said it was best out of litter of 16.
Show judge Jason Hirshfeld called the black, 228-pound barrow “picture perfect.”
“It is spot on in the ability to reach later weights,” he said.
Schomerus, who named the pig Curly, watched as he was born and spent time walking him and helping him grown.
“You try to find the right feed and try to make the right feed work,” he said.
“You put in a little more sweat when they’re born at home,” said Patrick Arkfeld, who showed the champion FFA market hog. “We raise them from the ground up, I guess you could say,” he said.
The Lourdes Central junior said he was a little surprised at his first FFA championship for the red Duroc. “It’s encouraging for next year,” he said.
He and his sister Rachael, the children of Tim and Luann Arkfeld of Dunbar, were first and second in the FFA showmanship for the second year in row.
Rachael, who is studying agriculture education in Kansas, showed the 4-H champion gilt.
Jeff Burr, the son of Pam and Tom Burr of Syracuse, showed hogs for the first time at the fair. He was rewarded with the prize for the top lightweight gilt.
“Since I live in town, we got the pigs from a friend’s house. We walked them this summer and sometimes hosed them down,” he said.
Jacob Burr, the son of Andrew and Teresa Burr of Dunbar, showed a black-belted barrow chosen as the heavyweight champion. He said he and his cousin worked with the calves.
“We walked them and we let them run on a little patch of grass to work them a little bit so they are no huffin’ and puffin’ all over the place,” he said.
The judged said the gilt finalists were the best in the show, but described the 4-H barrow champ as having muscle with flexibility. “He strides out comfortable,” he said.
