4-H Swine Show draws good crowd
By SERRA MUSCATELLO, Journal Staff WriterArticle Photos
NEW ULM - For Brittany Lendt, who will be a junior this year at Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School, she knows a thing or two about swine.
"I learned that they're actually not mean, like people think they are," said Lendt, "They can be wild, but they won't hurt you."
Lendt has been working with swine since she was about seven or eight years old she said.
"I like the competition - competing against the people (at the shows)," said Lendt.
For this year's 4-H swine show held Saturday morning she brought a total of eight pigs. She said she is an "independent" and does not belong to a 4-H club.
Lendt took home honors of Champion for pen of three, reserve champion for February gilt, reserve champion for barrow, reserve champion for State Fair line -up for barrows, reserve champion market gilt and reserve champion breeding gilt.
This year's swine show was judged by Ryan Steele, of Lewiston. Steele is employed as a high school ag teacher.
"Showing provides leadership," said Steele.
He said what he looks for are "hog production types" of swine and ones that have a lot of muscle.
"Sound on its feet and legs," said Steele, "(They) will have a desirable product for consumers."
Brok Miller of Hanska has been working with swine for about five years. He will be an eighth grader at New Ulm Area Catholic Schools this year.
He brought "Ozzie" with him to this year's fair.
"You can experience new things with different ones," said Miller.
He said he keeps Ozzie on the sand.
"So he doesn't trip ..." said Miller, "We let him roll in a little mudhole ... he likes that."
The sand also helps to keep him cooler.
He is also fed three times a day at 6:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. every day.
Miller took home the honors of champion barrow and champion intermediate showmanship.
Laura Carnell, a member of the Comfrey Comets 4-H Club will be entering 11th grade this year. She has been working with swine for about five or six years she said.
At the fair this year she was honored with champion breeding gilts and reserve champion for pen of three.
"I love getting the ribbons and the trophies," said Carnell.
She brought four pigs to the fair this year.
On Friday Carnell said she participated in the open class (swine).
"I had the feeling I wouldn't do well, but it turned out I did do well," said Carnell.
Some of the other high placings included: February Gilt Class 1: Champion-Brittany Lendt, Reserve champion-Mary Schmid; February Gilt Class 2: Champion-Laura Carnell and Reserve champion Ailsa Marti; March gilt Champion Ailsa Marti; Showmanship: Champion Brok Miller and Reserve Champion Claire Krumbach; Barrows Class 1: Champion -Brittany Lendt and reserve champion -Dylan Klein; Barrows Class 2: Champion -Brok Miller and reserve champion Brittany Lendt; Market gilt: Champion-Claire Krumbach and reserve champion Brittany Lendt; State Fair Lineup Barrows: Champion Brok Miller and reserve champion Brittany Lendt; Club Truck Load: champion Sleepy Eye Wide Awakes and reserve champion Burnstown; Senior Showmanship: Champion Jazmyne Miller and reserve champion Chantel Miller..
