Putting on a show
By Joey Pitchford
Published in News on April 1, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Isaac Linton, 11, and Payton Williams, 8, lead their goats out of the competition area after the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show costume contest Thursday night. As lumberjacks Isaac and his goat placed first, Gideon Linton, 9, and his goat as an artist and his canvas placed second, and Payton placed third with her goat as a genie and a magic carpet.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Joa Stafford comforts her grandson Liam Jack, 3, during the city slickers goat show Thursday night at the Wayne County Regional Fairgrounds.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Isaac Linton and his goat dressed as lumberjacks and Gideon Linton, 9, dressed as an artist with his canvas, wait for the beginning of the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show costume contest for goats Thursday.
When dealing with an animal that weighs at least twice what you do, the concept of "control" might seem tenuous at best.
For the 27 contestants at the 68th annual Wayne County Junior Livestock Show, it was all in a day's work.
The contestants were separated into three age categories, which were senior, junior and novice. The senior division, aged 14-18, contained 14 participants. The junior division, aged 9-13, had 11, and the novice division included two participants aged 5 and 8.
Participants were judged in two categories of showmanship and market. In the showmanship section, the contestants themselves were the ones being judged. They were evaluated on how well they controlled and directed their animal, maintained eye contact with the judge and on how well they could maneuver their hog in a way that would make it easy to show off to judges or potential buyers.
Even for participants who have been training for years, there is only so much control one can exercise over a hog. If the animal decides that it absolutely has to take off running, there isn't too much one can do to stop it. One wayward hog took it upon himself to sniff every pant leg within reach as he moved around the edge of the pen.
"It gets frustrating sometimes." said second place winner in the senior category, Cody Nassef, 16. "I just have to make sure I stay calm."
Participants generally have a routine that they follow before going out to show. Junior division first place winner, Gideon Linton, 9, said he makes sure his hog is looking clean before they go out.
"I water him down and clean him off. Make sure he looks shiny," he said.
Livestock extension agent Stefani Garbacik said that the event promotes a love of agriculture, as well as a healthy sense of sportsmanship.
"They aren't going to win everything, so it helps them learn to deal with that." she said.
That is, unless you're Taylor Glover. The 15-year-old's two hogs won grand champion and reserve champion market hog-equivalent to first and second best in show, and Taylor herself won first place in the senior showmanship competition. A teary-eyed Taylor, who has been showing hogs for seven years, said that the wins were the result of the hours she and her hogs had put in.
"I've put a lot of hard work into these pigs," she said, smiling. "And I'm just really proud of them."
And for kids like Taylor, "proud" is something they know they can be.