"Belle of the Ball"

My brother Grady loves pigs. I wish I still had the photo of him asleep in the trailer when he was younger using his first Hampshire gilt as a body pillow. For the past 5 years or so, he's been breeding gilts and sows on his own (with the help of dad, of course) and selling them in the spring at a sale he consigns to north of Smith Center.

The gilt below is one of the early picks from the barn this year at my folks' place. She is out of a Roper boar from Lean Value and a home-raised crossbred gilt (I had to ask Ben, I can't remember this kindof stuff), shown by my brother's better half - Gretchen.

So far (cross your fingers she continues successful) she has won a show, been reserve at another, won her class and was second this past weekend in the $2500 payout show in Kearney.


Gretchen does a wonderful job driving this pig around the ring - as demonstrated by her showmanship banners she won on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

We just want to shout out "Congrats" to Gretchen on her accomplishments thus far and we look forward to seeing all the stock show this weekend when we're home!