Pedigree/Genetics of Champion:
Breaking Rules x Skywire

Sow was Champion Crossbred gilt at the NJSA SE Regional and the Heorgia Junior National Livestock Show.

How did you get involved in the swine industry?
While growing up around livestock all my life, it wasn’t until the 7th grade, that a handful of uniquely gifted ag teachers went out of their way to get me involved in FFA and 4H activities, their support and encouragement never wavered throughout the years, and the rest is history. I’m forever indebted to all of them.

Being able to show without question was something we once took for granted. Now with the uncertainty of being able to have shows, how rewarding was it to capture a win?
This is a fantastic and thought provoking question! That night you n the coliseum, during the grand drive, the judge took the microphone and he complimented everyone involved with the Indiana State Fair for making it happen. To paraphrase, he said when all of the other state fairs made the difficult decision to cancel their state fair events, Indiana found a way. It was at that moment I looked around it really sank in, how truly blessed we all were to be in that position, and I made it a point to try my best to absorb and appreciate every moment of that experience. To reflect, and think about 2020 being the most unique year of my generation’s life, and to think that we were able to accomplish the single most important and meaningful goal of our operation, it still leaves me speechless at moments, to be honest. These two things will forever be linked for the rest of our life. Lastly, although I’m the one participating here, and answering questions, it would be wrong to not recognize my business partner, Nathan Peters, all the work he put into achieving this goal, how rewarding this adventure has been, and the privilege that it is, to have him and his family to share this experience with.

With the pandemic, what struggles have you faced as a breeder and how do you think the show world will evolve with the problems we are facing?
I’m going to take a little different angle on this one, and hopefully that’s okay. Our struggles of uncertainty in terms of shows, breeding, culling, and marketing, as it pertains to the challenges of 2020, is probably not significantly different than most other breeders. With that being said, I was quickly reminded of the passion and determination that makes our industry so powerful and rewarding, as breeders, leaders, and influencers within the industry all joined forces and created events and opportunities that most of us would’ve never dreamed of, without the challenges associated with 2020. So, I’m extremely proud of everyone who helped do their best, to make 2020 the best possible.

What breeding decision are you most excited about for the next breeding/farrowing season?
We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to purchase the gilt that won state fair, and with that, we are obviously excited to see what her future holds for our operation. However, it would be unfair to place all of those expectations on one female. So, as cliche as it may sound, Nathan and I are genuinely focused on making the next crop of pigs the absolutely best they can be, and we really embrace the anxiety and sleepless nights that come along with such a task. I’m sure the most passionate breeders of every species can relate to that