4-H Market Swine

[Paul Yeager] When you are the top state in the nation in producing pork,  hog production is a big deal. Hog shows an even bigger deal at the Iowa State Fair. Today almost 500 of the finest animals are competing in the 4-H competition for Market Swine. Kind of like Aden. He's getting ready to go into the ring and so are we. 

You were walking the pig. Why? 

[Aden Wolfe] Because it exercises them and so my dad and my dad's friend could look at him. Make sure he's ready for show day.

[Paul] So there is a little bit of judging before the judging? 

[Aden] Yes. Yes, there is.

[Paul] How many years do you think you've exhibited at the Iowa State Fair? 

[Aden] Well, this would be my fourth year exhibiting at the Iowa State Fair, but I have shown since I was three years old. 

[Paul] What is it like being in the ring showing? 

[Aden] It's amazing. That's what it is. It's awesome. I love doing it, so I look forward to this every year. 

[Paul] How'd that go? 

[Aden] All right. Pretty good. I'm hoping I can do better with the York, but for a second time out that was about what I expected. 

[Paul] All right, Kennedy. What's going through your mind? 

[Kennedy Axmear] Just a lot of emotions right now. I'm just surprised I'm not crying. I'm very happy right now. 

[Paul] I'm crying for you.

[Kennedy] Oh, thank you. 

[Paul] It's a lot of love there. You give a hug there, what's that all about?

[Kennedy] She's a special one. She came in the barn and she was pretty mean and I got her to love me. We have a bond now. 

[Paul] She was mean?

[Kennedy] Oh yeah. 

[Paul] How did you break a mean one?

[Kennedy] Marshmallows.

[Paul] Little ones when they did something right? 

[Kennedy] Yeah. I'd I'd sit in the pin with her for a long time just loving on her marshmallows. 

[Paul] So, how do you fit in showing a pig when you're playing softball in the summer? You do track in the spring. How do you squeeze anything in?

[Kennedy] I get up very early every morning do all my stuff before I leave, and then right after practice I'm back home doing more stuff.

[Paul] I understand you've done quite well at the Drake Relays and discus. You've won that before. Not too bad at softball either I hear. Maybe a couple of home runs now and again?

[Kennedy] Yeah, a few home runs, that's it.

[Paul] What does it say that you're able to balance all of that? 

[Kennedy] That hard work takes you a long way. And I'm very passionate about everything that I do. 

[Paul] All right Ryland, earlier today you had a pretty good run. Tell me about that first experience when the judge selected you in that run. 

[Ryland Morgan] I don't know. I just go out there and show to the best of my ability. It worked out in the end. 

[Kurt Morgan] You know, he might have 12 pigs he's getting ready for the fair throughout the season. So it's pretty much a 7:00 to 10:00 deal with the summer, and they're in all kinds of sports and weightlifting and whatnot, but you're right. Like keeping us busy all day long, it makes it go fast. You think, "Gosh I'm already at my third state fair." He was saying, "It seems like just yesterday I was showing in my first state fair." It's really a family thing. I have a wife and a daughter. We all work on the farm. It's pretty much every day from May through the start of school and then it's back to sports for us. But these guys put in a ton of work every day. Whether it's with our sows, our boars, the show pigs, it's pretty non-stop between that and sports. We really don't have time to sit down and relax.