Serious showmanship at Grand Swine Drive
GREENCASTLE -- Monday night was the Swine Grand Drive in which the champions, reserve champions, grand champions, reserve grand champions and showmanship champions were named.
There were 25 classes of gilts, 33 classes of barrows, and four classes of litters.
Ten-year 4-H and third generation swine club member Andrew Whittman won reserve champion in his class for tamworth gilts.
This year Whittman received a banner for the first time since he started competing in 4-H 10 years ago. However, he has won champion four times and reserve breed champion twice during his 10-year tenure as a 4-H'er.
With this being his last swine grand drive, Whittman said he is sad to see it end but is happy to be ending on such a positive note.
In addition to pigs, Whitman has also participated in the geology aspect of 4-H for 10 years, winning first place all 10 years and taking top state honors in geology seven of those 10 years.
The Grand Drive winners for litter were cousins Hannah and Courtney Mann. Hannah received grand champion and Courtney was the reserve grand champion.
For the barrows, Kristen Fordice received grand champion and Michael Pierson received reserve grand champion. Kallie Brattain received both grand champion and reserve grand champion honors for her pigs.
Brattain has been showing pigs for eight years and has also received four grand champions and two reserve grand champion awards. This year Brattain won both grand champion and reserve grand champion simultaneously for the first time since she started competing in 4-H.
Those who won showmanship are Jaxon Parmley from the rookie division, Preston Porter for the class 1 junior division, Elizabeth Stanley from the class 1 intermediate division, and Walter Colvin in the class 1 senior division.