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Much time goes into preparing pigs
The pigs were out in full force on Thursday morning at the Bourbon County Fair Grounds.
Spectators crowded into the bleachers at the fair grounds in order to watch the 2009 Bourbon County Fair swine judging competition.
According to Northeast Scott 4-H participants Kamryn Combs and Megan Smith, in the swine competition, the judges make some of their determinations on how well a participant controls his or her pig.
"They judge how well you handle your pig," Smith said.
Combs added, "You have to look at the judge and the pig at the same time and smile."
Also in the competition, the judges look at the muscle tone and weight of each pig, Combs said. According to Smith, if the pig does not weigh the right amount, it cannot be sold at the livestock sale conducted at the fair.
You don't get to sell them if you don't make weight," she said.
During the showmanship competition, the judges separate the best pigs from the rest by placing them into little pens at the side of the arena, according to the two youth.
"If the judge likes you, they put you in the pen," Combs said.
Smith added, "You get a good feeling when you get put in the pen."
According to Combs, raising and taking care of a pig is not very difficult, but it does take time and dedication.
"You just have to get up in the morning and feed them and you feed them again at night," she said, adding that she and her sister share the chore so each of the girls is only responsible for feeding the animals once every day. "It takes feeding, watering, giving them baths, walking them and working with them to make sure they're ready to be shown. Then you have to get them tagged."
Combs' mother Cheryl said allowing her children to participate in 4-H and the county fair has been extremely beneficial to them.
"I think it's just well-rounded," she said. "It teaches them a lot of different things and a lot of life skills. We've had three kids in it, and I think it's probably the best thing we've had them involved in."