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			 The 
			morning began with rain clouds and rain drops falling as young 
			exhibitors herded their individual animals across the road from the 
			hog barn to the livestock show arena. Those the animals and the kids 
			were already glistening clean as they came into the show area, the 
			moisture collected as they came across the road added to the happy 
			healthy glow of the two legged and four legged contenders. 
			 
			In the gilt show, the judge struggled often choosing the best of the 
			breed and weight class because the competition was tough, and the 
			animals all looked to be of equal quality. 
			 
			There was more than one occasion that the judge said the placement 
			could have gone either way and that he was sure others in his 
			position would have had an equally difficult time deciding who to 
			call as the number one animal. 
			 
			In the end Emma Boerma took the Grand Champion Gilt with her 
			Crossbred hog. Taking reserve was Alex Bobell who was also the 
			reserve winner in the Crossbred Gilt category. Placing third overall 
			was Luke Prestegaard, William Boerma took fourth, and fifth went to 
			Reed Naughton. 
			 
			When the Barrow show began the rain had stopped, but the hogs and 
			kids looked no less impressive as they crossed the road in dry 
			weather. The Barrow or Market Hog category was also blessed with 
			some remarkable looking animals, and the judge seemed to labor even 
			harder to choose the winner of each breed. 
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			Because the decisions were so complicated, the swine 
			show went longer than normal with the Grand Champion Barrow not 
			being announced until almost 2 p.m. 
			
			  
			In the end it was Alex Bobell who took the big trophy 
			and the title of Grand Champion Barrow with her Crossbred Barrow. In 
			addition to the purple banner of the champ, Alex took home with her 
			the traveling trophy given as a memorial to the late Donnie Crane. 
			 
			The Reserve Grand Champion went to Audrey Brown with her Reserve 
			Champion Crossbred. 
			 
			Third place overall went to Luke Prestegaard as did fourth overall. 
			The fifth place overall went to Reagan Titus. 
			 
			[Nila Smith] 
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