Hog show has big turnout
By Steve Herring
Published in News on April 13, 2012 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
Ralph Blalock, left, judges contestants in the Junior Market Hog Show at the 64th Annual Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale on Thursday.
DUDLEY -- Quinton Rouse, 6, of Seven Springs had big plans Thursday morning after competing in the 64th annual Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale.
"I am going to buy me a new John Deere tractor," he said.
But when the market hog show ended, Quinton had not only earned second place in the novice category, his priorities had changes as well -- he wanted nachos.
The show, for youths ages 5 to 19, sponsored by the Wayne County Livestock Development Association in cooperation with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, got under way Wednesday night with meat goat and feeder calf shows at the Wayne County Regional Fairgrounds.
Before the show started, Quinton was perched on the fence while his father, Greg Rouse, was helping get his 235-pound Hampshire pig, Lulu, ready to show. His mother, Brandy, was quizzing him in preparation for the judge's questions.
"We grow pigs, but it is just something that is big in our community," Mrs. Rouse said. "My daddy, (the late C.W. Smith) supported it. This was a big thing for him, and it was one thing that he wanted Quinton to do was to show pigs."
Mrs. Rouse said that even though she and her husband raise hogs, she has learned a lot through the shows including what the different breeds are.
"You know, when you raise pigs, they all look the same to me in the hog house, but when you get to showing them there are a lot of other things that you have to learn," she said. "You learn a lot like keeping the pig between him and the judge and maintaining eye contact. It is important. You try to drill that into them. At 5 years old and 6 years old, that is kind of hard to do."
"There is a lot of work in it, but it is a lot of fun because you get to spend time with your child. When you get up here he doesn't see these children but once a year, a lot of them, but they all get together and play and have a wonderful time. It is a real fun thing for them to meet other kids and we get to meet everybody."
Courtney Outlaw, 14, of Seven Springs who has been competing in the event for about six years, said her father, Roy Outlaw, got her interested in the show.
Miss Outlaw didn't place in the first round.
"It wouldn't walk like it was supposed to. It kept stopping," she said.
Jaquan Jones, 16, of Mar-Mac, was making his first venture into the competition.
"I got to high school I joined the FFA and it was something they told me about and it was something that I was interested in it," said Jones, a student at Southern Wayne High School. "I was pretty nervous, but I think I have it now.
"When you have your pig to yourself in the center it is easier to work with it, but the fact that you are in the pen with more than one pig, that makes it harder to work with it. That was the hardest part, having more than one pig around. I loved it. I loved it."
Jones said he gets different reactions from his friends about his hogs.
"Some say, 'Dude, you are crazy and you stink,'" he said. "My granddaddy says, 'That is the smell of money.' I have my friend here Joseph (Artis), he thinks it's cool. I am going to get him to do it next year."
Extension Director Kevin Johnson said he was pleased with the show and turnout.
"There are a lot of parents, our numbers are really good this year," he said. "I think there is a lot of excitement for the show. I am excited about it. So far everybody the parents are happy. There is a lot of enthusiasm here. I am excited about the show this year.
"Look at these kids. These novice kids they are just getting their first couple of years and it is real exciting to watch them. The skills that they learn, responsibility taking care of an animal, learning how to show -- they are learning skills that move into other aspects of their life."
Winners in the hog show were:
Seniors
*John David Howard, first place
*Alec Linton, second place
*Hunter Graham, third place
*Barwick, fourth place
*Hunter Kennedy, fifth place
Juniors
*Alan Johnson, first place
*Taylor Glover, second place and reserve grand champion
*Caleb Heath, third place and grand champion market hog
*Jensen Barwick, fourth place
*Garrett Grady, fifth place.
Novice
*Gideon Linton, first place
*Quinton Rouse, second place
*Oliver Thomas, third place
*Isaac Linton, fourth place
*Tyler Norris, fifth place