Upcoming Virginia State Fair Junior and Open Market Hog Shows

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Upcoming Virginia State Fair Junior and Open Market Hog Shows

Livestock Update, July 2004

Allen Harper, Extension Animal Scientist -- Swine, Tidewater, AREC

The State Fair Junior Market Hog Show offers an opportunity for youth swine exhibitors to expand their level of project participation beyond county or regional shows (see www.statefair.com). It also offers youngsters who do not have access to a local market hog show the opportunity to conduct a market hog project and exhibit their animals. Exhibitors that are not of 4-H or FFA age may opt for participation in the State Fair Open Market Hog Show, which is open to exhibitors of all ages. Specific advantages of participation in the State Fair Junior Market Hog Show include: 1) total prize monies of approximately $3000, 2) additional carcass evaluation prize monies of approximately $900, 3) opportunities to earn youth scholarship monies for post-secondary education costs, and 4) an excellent opportunity to visit with other youth and families involved in swine projects.

The State Fair Junior Market Hog Show is a competition. It should be recognized that participants will be striving to select and raise project pigs that have good potential to win their weight class or even overall show champion. But parents, project leaders, Cooperative Extension and FFA personnel should keep things in perspective. Emphasis should be placed on conducting a successful project, not just the end result at the exhibition. It is the daily care and management involved in rearing grower pigs up to market weight that teaches the animal husbandry skills and lessons in responsibility that are every bit as valuable as a championship banner. Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 414-001, Virginia 4-H Youth Market Hog Project Guide offers a comprehensive information resource for conducting youth market hog projects.

The following are some general rules and deadlines for the 2004 Virginia State Fair Youth and Open Market Hog Shows.

State Fair of Virginia Junior Market Hog Show - Sunday, October 3 at 2:00 p.m.

Pig arrival is Saturday, October 2 from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. (pigs may also arrive with open show pigs on Friday, October 1).
Pig weigh-in is Saturday, October 2 from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Pigs should have been born on or after April 1, 2004.
+hg456h8u0ust be owned and under the care of the exhibitor by July 20, 2004.
Entries close on August 15, 2004.
There is no per pig entry fee but there is a $7.00 per exhibitor participation fee.
Project record books are not required for the State Fair show. However, project leaders, agents and advisors are strongly encouraged to require record book completion on all projects and to evaluate them for the participant's benefit at the local level.
Entries are limited to 7 head (a maximum of 3 singles and 2 pair). Hogs designated for singles exhibition at weigh-in time are not eligible to be shown in pair classes and pair entries cannot be shown as singles. Youth participants may also register for additional entries in the open show.
Only barrows and gilts are eligible. The show weight range is 220 to 270 lbs. Underweight and overweight entries are not eligible for championship drives or scholarship awards, but are eligible for sale. The State Fair Junior Market Hog Show is a terminal show and all entries must be sold at the conclusion of the show.
All youth swine, beef, and sheep entries are subject to on-farm inspections to verify entry information and project progress. All exhibitors must agree to accommodate such inspections if requested.
More detailed rules and entry forms can be obtained from the state fair website at www.statefair.com. Entries obtained from the website should be mailed to „Youth Market Hogsľ, State Fair of Virginia, P.O. Box 26805, Richmond, Virginia 23261-6805. This information is also available from Allen Harper, Virginia Tech Tidewater AREC, 6321 Holland Road, Suffolk, Virginia 23437, phone 757-657-6450, ext. 106.
Assuming healthy pigs kept in a good environment, pigs should weigh about 115 to 135 lbs. on July 20 in order to make a show weight range of 220 to 270 lbs. on October 2.

State Fair of Virginia Open Market Hog Show - Saturday, October 2 at 5:00 p.m.

Pig arrival is Friday, October 1 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Pig weigh-in is Friday, October 1 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Entries close on August 15, 2004.
Entries are limited to 7 head per exhibitor (3 singles and 2 pairs).
Entry fee is $4.00 per head, late entry fee (accepted up to September 15) is $12.00 per head.
Only barrows and gilts are eligible, show weight range is 220 to 270 lbs.

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