Annual pig sale to benefit local youth
By Kathy Thomson
This weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15, the Shackelford County Youth and Livestock show barn will host the 33rd Annual First Impressions Invitational Pig Sale, and organizers are expecting 17 consignors from four states to bring 100 pigs for the competition and sale.
“We are limiting the sale to 100 pigs this year,” said organizer Mike Parsons. “A couple of the consignors will probably come in late on Friday, but we expect most of them to arrive on Saturday, and we’ll have the auction on Sunday.”
Local 4-H and FFA members and their families have worked over the last several days to insure that the facilities are clean and ready to go for the annual pig sale.
“We worked at the barn for an hour or so last Saturday,” said Albany ag instructor Chris Beard. “The cleanup went great, and we had a lot of kids and adult volunteers who showed up.”
The group quickly cleaned the area, picked up trash, set up pens and the ring, swept and blew off the bleachers and sidewalks, and cleaned the concession stand.
“We are building a few new panels for the ring in our ag metal fabrication class,” said Beard.
Local stock show exhibitors will also shuffle pigs in the back during the sale and clean up after the event, added the ag instructor.
“We try to get as many of them involved as possible, because the pig sale is a fundraiser for the local stock show,” Beard said. “It’s all for their benefit.”
Pig Sale
Pigs will be received and tagged on Saturday, Sept. 14.
“On Sunday morning, we will judge the entries to select the breed champions, and the grand and reserve overall.”
Lindner Feed and EZ Feed and Supply are sponsoring the prize money and show ribbons, and Mark Standlee from Canyon will judge the pig show again this year.
Selection of the grand and reserve champions is scheduled to take place starting at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 16.
The grand champion barrow will win $1,000, and $500 will go to the reserve grand champion barrow. Prize money for the grand and reserve grand champion gilt is $800 and $350 respectively.
“The sponsors contribute $2,500 in prize money and ribbons, which is critical in attracting the best breeders and ultimately raising the most money for all participants of the Shackelford County Livestock Show,” said Parsons.
For more information on the sale, contact Parsons at 325-762-4018, Jearl Boyett at 254-433-3209, Molly Cauble at 325-762-2366 ext. 101, or Cody Leech at 325-513-5536.
