Beginner Showmen-How To Train Your Pig To Show

Written by: Jenny Beth Lanman

Article reprinted from www.showpigs.com

My name is Jenny Beth Lanman, my father and I are currently raising 20 head of sows for club pig sales and to show purebred Hampshire breeding stock in Sabina, Ohio. I have spent 24 years living on a farm and raising hogs, still today I spend a lot of time with my pigs.

As a 4-H & FFA member for 10 years I gained a lot of experience dealing with livestock. Each summer I spent lots of time out in the hog lot. When first getting my pigs I began spending time with them so they would begin to understand who I was. Each morning and evening during feeding time I would spend time with them. As the summer would progress toward the fair I would begin working with them a little more each week.

Early each morning and late every evening I would walk the pigs around the lot to start getting them used to me. After I felt comfortable and confident that each hog was tame, I began letting each individual hog out one at a time in the yard. This is when training began. I worked with each hog individually, since each hog is different in personality and character. As the pigs got used to me driving them around the yard, I began to decide which hog drove the best when I would show them . This process helped me decide which pig would best fit showmanship class.

Training with your pigs is an ALL summer process. It is forming a relationship with your animals, spending time with them to show them what they are supposed to do. Even though I am not in 4-H today, my relationship with my hogs is still the same as when I was once in 4-H. All your hard work and dedication working with your project all summer long will eventually be rewarding in the end. Keep up the Hard Work!!!!!!