BUCYRUS — A familiar name filled the line for the top hog at the 2017 Crawford County Fair.
Lori Millenbaugh rested against one of the pens in the show arena late Thursday evening, an exhausted but happy smile on her face. It was just a few minutes before her pig was announced as the Overall Grand Champion Hog.
“It was just amazing. I would have never imagined I would have won the hog show,” Millenbaugh said.
A lot of effort went into the win. Millenbaugh said she trained her hogs how to show and fed them properly to fill out the right way.
Millenbaugh’s passion for showing animals, which included steers and sheep, comes from her family.
“My family has shown for a number of years and just made me want to be the best I can be,” Millenbaugh explained.
Her best this year included a win in showmanship with her market lambs and another championship at Tuesday night’s steer show.
Millenbaugh’s hog won the Middleweight Market Barrow, Overall Market Barrow, and Grand Champion Overall Market Hog.
Judge Will Hilty, of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, termed Millenbaugh’s pig as “my kind” of hog.
“There’s one that just fires me up,” Hilty said as he eyed Millenbaugh’s barrow. “When he sticks that head through that gate, he makes you take two steps back.”
Hilty listed all of the barrow’s excellent qualities before declaring the hog “had it all going on.”
Lyndie Williams’ barrow was named Overall Reserve Champion Hog. Williams’ hog paced Millenbaugh’s step-for-step throughout the show, finishing in the reserve position in the middleweight division, the Overall Market barrow, and the Overall Market Hog.
Hilty encouraged the hog 4-H members to engage the public with their knowledge and become ambassadors for their projects.
“Take your time, answer their questions, be an advocate for show pigs,” Hilty said before selecting the Overall Grand and Reserve Champion hogs. “Tell them why we do what we do. Teach them how good of care you take in your projects.”
Hilty added that they needed to take time to tell their stories.
“If we don’t take time to educate those people and teach them why we do what we do and how important this is to not only to the livestock industry, but shaping the future leaders, the good people in the community,” Hilty said. “You got to take time to do that.
“There’s not a better thing to have young people involved in today than showing livestock and taking care of livestock.”
A pair of young guns kept pace with Millenbaugh throughout the show.
Ten-year-old Gracie Stirm won Overall Carlot Champion after winning the heavyweight division.
“Awesome,” Stirm said about the experience. “I worked with him, I walked him every night and fed him.”
Stirm’s parents, George and Dorene Stirm, were proud of their daughter’s accomplishment.
“She’s worked hard for it,” George Stirm said.
Gracie Stirm is a two-year member of the North Robinson Blue Ribbons 4-H Club.
Adam Scott, a member of the Liberty Leaders 4-H Club, won Overall Carlot Reserve Champion. He qualified for the final round after winning the Middleweight Carlot Champion.
Nine-year-old Paityn Hafner, a first-year Buckeye Stars 4-H Club member, received Overall Market Gilt Champion honors after winning the heavyweight division.
“I feel amazing,” Hafner said after her championship class.
She admitted that she faced tough competition in the arena, but believed her prep work with her hog really paid off.
As for her mother, Liza Hafner had tears in her eyes as she talked about her daughter’s accomplishment.
“It’s awesome,” Liza Hafner said. “All the hard work in the barn pays off. It really does.”
James Schiefer, a Lykens Champions 4-H Club member, won Overall Market Gilt Reserve Champion. He made it to the final round with a reserve placing in the heavyweight division.
