Experience at both ends of the spectrum fared well for participants in Monday evening’s Junior Fair Market Hog show, as an 18-year-old veteran exhibitor and a 9-year-old in her first year of showing each garnered top awards during the contest.
Rachel Hostetler, who graduated from West Liberty-Salem High School this year, earned her third consecutive Logan County Fair grand champion market gilt title during the show. She also won reserve grand champion honors for her market barrow.
GRAND CHAMPION MARKET GILT
RESERVE CHAMPION MARKET BARROW
The Mad River Valley Junior Farmers 4-H Club member was a little emotional upon being tapped by the judge as the market gilt overall contest winner at the conclusion of the show, noting this might be her last year showing.
“This has been a great day, and I’m never going to forget it,” the West Liberty resident said while wiping away a few tears. “It’s been a lot of fun being a part of the fair for all of these years. I have so many good memories hanging out with my friends.
“I would be eligible to show for one more year, but I’m not sure whether I’ll be here next year or not.”
Also a steer exhibitor at the Logan County Fair, Rachel said she plans to attend Clark State College in the fall to study nursing.
Bellefontaine Intermediate School fourth-grader Halie Johnson captured the reserve champion market gilt title in the contest. The 9-year-old’s entry, “Rose,” was handled each day by Halie, who took care to walk and wash her pig in preparation for the fair.
RESERVE CHAMPION MARKET GILT
She enjoyed being in the show with her close friend, Kylee Zedeker. Halie’s mother, Serena Huffman, noted that the youngsters’ friendship carries on a tradition in their two families, as Huffman and her brother also showed livestock at the fair with Kylee’s dad and uncle.
“We are so thrilled for the win, but it is really about having a quality project and these fun connections that we share with our friends and family through showing,” Huffman said. “It’s been a way of life for us now for a few generations.”
Halie also is a daughter of Ollin Johnson, and she is a Logan County Livestock 4-H member.
Indian Lake Middle School eighth-grader Jada Shroyer, 14, won the grand champion market barrow award. The Miami Valley Producers 4-H member who has been part of the show for about five years said she has a regular routine of walking her pig and paying careful attention to keeping its skin healthy.
GRAND CHAMPION MARKET BARROW
Jada, who also exhibits sheep and goats, shared about the family bonds forged through raising and showing animals with her two sisters, ages 12 and 16,
“I love just hanging out with my animals and bonding with them, and I enjoy the time in the barn with my sisters as well,” she said.
Results from the 2021 Junior Fair Market Hog show also include:
Market Barrows
Lightweight division
Class 1 — Carter Lyden 2. Shyanne McClintick 3. Ricky Tevis 4. Layton Schlumbohm 5. Todd Kinninger
Class 2 — Johnston Forsythe 2. Alice Luthman 3. Layton Schlumbohm 4. Keaton Snipes 5. Shania Fruchey
Class 3 — Allison Culp 2. Georgia Bates 3. Halie Johnson 4. Lane Hill 5. Lacey Schwieterman
Champion lightweight — Carter Lyden; reserve champion lightweight — Allison Culp
Middleweight division
Class 1 — 1. Anara Shroyer 2. Kylee Zedeker 3. Aaron Rapp 4. Brock Bates 5. McKenzie Forsythe
Class 2 — 1. Ryan Culp 2. Jaden Zedeker 3. Danielle Hoagland 4. Zhoe Seeley 5. Carson Lyden
Class 3 — 1. Jada Shroyer 2. Kane Gibson 3. Jaxon Snipes 4. Lux Kipker 5. Seth Jaunzemis
Champion middleweight — Jada Shroyer; reserve champion middleweight — Anara Shroyer
Heavyweight division
Class 1 — 1. Rachel Hostetler 2. Zhoe Seeley 3. Savannah Hill 4. Hannah O’Brien 5. Dalton Huffman
Class 2 — 1. Ricky Tevis 2. Madilynn Zedeker 3. Titus Kelly 4. J. Owen O’Brien 5. Konnor Barns
Class 3 — 1. Katrina Craig 2.Matthew Beikman 3. Lukas Johnson 4. Konnor Barns 5. Annie Rapp
Champion heavyweight — Rachel Hostetler; reserve champion heavyweight — Katrina Craig
Grand champion market barrow — Jada Shroyer; reserve grand champion market barrow — Rachel Hostetler
Market Gilts
Lightweight division
Class 1 — 1. Savannah Hill 2. Cambria Tuttle 3. Alice Luthman 4. Emily Adams 5. Danielle Hoagland
Class 2 — 1. Matthew Culp 2. Lane Hill 3. Tanner Anderson 4. Ryan Culp 5. Adam Luthman
Champion lightweight — Matthew Culp; reserve champion lightweight — Lane Hill
Middleweight division
Class 1 — 1. Ty Anderson 2. Addison Beck 3. Harly Kinninger 4. Kane Gibson 5. Kaitlyn Adams
Class 2 — 1. Madilynn Zedeker 2. Shyanne McClintick 3. Carson Lyden 4. Lisa Eastman 5. Jackson Young
Class 3 — 1. Aaron Rapp 2. Savannah McClintick 3. Matthew Beikman 4. Lux Kipker 5. Lane Kipker
Champion middleweight — Aaron Rapp; reserve champion middleweight — Madilynn Zedeker
Heavyweight division
Class 1 — 1. Lukas Schwieterman 2. Annie Rapp 3. J. Owen O’Brien 4. Taylor Forsythe 5. Chase Miller
Class 2 — 1. Brock Bates 2. Lukas Johnson 3. Georgia Bates 4. Lacey Schwieterman 5. Jaxon Snipes
Class 3 — 1. Rachel Hostetler 2. Halie Johnson 3. Lukas Schwieterman 4. Katrina Craig 5. Kelly Titus
Champion heavyweight — Rachel Hostetler; reserve champion heavyweight — Halie Johnson
Grand champion market gilt — Rachel Hostetler; reserve grand champion market gilt — Halie Johnson