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Wednesday Swine Show brings big wins
to the Bobell sisters
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[August 04, 2023]
At the Wednesday morning 4-H Swine show, Claire and
Ella Bobell walked away the big winners with Clair taking the Grand
Champion Gilt and Ella the Grand Champion Barrow. The girls had
plenty of competition to weed through as though down on numbers of
two legged exhibitors, the four-legged versions were plentiful as
each kid showed in multiple classes.
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The day began with judge Dan Hoge, a retired livestock coach at
Blackburn College – East arriving on time and ready to judge the
large number of classes held at the 4-H swine show.
The first showings were of gilts by breed including Sptted Gilts,
Yorkshire, Chester White, Hampshire, Duroc, Berkshire, AOB (all
other breeds) and Cross Bred Gilts.
Within each breed there were up to three classes, light, medium and
heavy weight gilts.
During the judging, Hoge shared that during the open show to be held
Friday morning at the Logan County Fair, the judge would be his son
Mark. He said that Mark will be conscience of dress and personal
presentation of the human exhibitor as well as shape, structure, and
build of the animal.
Throughout the show, Hoge offered comments and advice
as he delivered his determinations by breed and class. He told the
young people and the audience that they are part of the history and
heritage of multi-generations of families showing hogs in Logan
County. It is a fact they should be proud of.
Another fact they should be proud of, is that at the State Fair,
“the road to the coliseum comes directly from Lincoln and Logan
County.” He said that many great Logan County animals have been
shown at the State Fair. He named off families that he has known for
the last 40 or more years from Logan County and their long histories
of success on the state level.
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Hoge also made a strong suggestion to the Logan
County 4-H. He said that at the risk of stepping on toes or
offending some, he had to say that the young people needed to have
better instruction in showmanship. He said that a good showmanship
workshop would go a long way for the youngsters that are working to
put on a good show for the judge and the audience.
In spite of that sentiment, Hoge throughout the day offered many
good comments to and about the young people in the ring.
In many cases there was only one animal in a weight class. Hoge
encouraged the exhibitor to drive the pig as though there were many.
He said the drive was for the audience and it was good experience
for the exhibitor as well as the pig.
At the end of the day, before announcing the Grand Champion Barrow,
Hoge made a few final comments. He implied that he is retiring from
judging and if it had been any other county that called him to judge
their 4-H Swine Show, he would have said no. He said he had strong
attachments to families in the community and to the Logan County
Fair, and there was no way he could say no to this particular fair.
Then, with a large array of Barrows, all champions in their breed
class, Hoge went out and indicated his Grand Champion, Ella Bobell.
[Nila Smith]
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