Up to snuff: Hogs judged at show

MERCEDES - Not every one can say they've ever seen a pig enjoy a bath.

But Sharon Stabbs considered her four-legged Hampshire's scrubbing Thursday the key to potential victory of the market hog competition at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show.

"I'm kind of (nervous)," said the Mercedes High School FFA freshman as she sprayed her hog down with clean, cool water before competing in the 270-pound class. "I think I'm gonna do good."

Sharon was just one of many participants in the contest that featured 22 classes - all separated by breed and weight. Hundreds of pigs were seen roaming the arena as their handlers chased them through the area.

Of course, some hogs were more cooperative than others.

Standing in the middle of the human-hog chaos, judges tirelessly worked throughout the day, spending a few minutes evaluating each hog while looking to pick out the best specimen from each class.

"Make them look as blooming as possible," Harlingen South High School FFA teacher Joe Stevens said of his students' efforts to clean and tidy up their animals.

Students have been caring for their hogs since October, working long hours to care for them while trying to attain the perfect balance of weight and muscle.

Mercedes FFA instructor Doug Meyer said first or second place in each class are the goal since the top hogs are often auctioned to local meat processors for a hefty sum at the close of the show.

"Organizers pay up $3,000 for a hog," Meyer said. "Everybody else on the market pays a price for 35 cents a pound."

Los Fresnos 4-H member Kaitlyn Lapeyre had a terrific day as she and her hog captured a first-place ribbon in the 246-pound Yorkshire medium weight pig class.

"I thought I was going to get second or third," said the 11-year-old Episcopal day school student.

Minutes after receiving the first award, Kaitlyn received additional honors when her pig was named breed champion.

Edinburg North High School freshman Matthew Killion didn't have a bad day, either.

The 15-year-old handler's hog was named reserved breed champion in the Hampshire division and earlier picked up first place in the 265-pound weight class.

Matthew, who has participated in livestock show events since he was 8 years old, said he has won the reserve grand champion twice and been a grand champion once before at the stockshow.

"Every year I've come, I've gotten something good," he said. "I already knew I was going to get something good."