breeding gilt of the year - 2022

SHOW GILT OF THE YEAR
GRAND GILT - TEXAS ELITE
BRED BY WINTEX - SHOWN BY LAYNEE CAMPBELL
Congratulations from all of us at thepigplanet.com!

breeding gilt of the year - 2021

SHOW GILT OF THE YEAR
CHAMPION PUREBRED GILT - THE EXPO
BRED BY THOMPSON BROTHERS - SHOWN BY HUNTER LOGUE
Congratulations from all of us at thepigplanet.com!

breeding gilt of the year - 2020

SHOW GILT OF THE YEAR
"CAROLE" - BRED BY HEIMER - SHOWN BY COLE MURPHY
Congratulations from all of us at thepigplanet.com!

breeding gilt of the year - 2019

Learn a little more about the Breeding Gilt of the Year from Nate Warner, Owner of Nate Warner Livestock! See what Nate has to say below!

Myself, my wife Stephanie, and children Maxin, Beckett, and Charley operate a 70 sow showpig operation in Southwest Ohio.  Our goal number one and most importantly is provide 4H/FFA kids with a project they can learn from to improve life skills needed to enter adulthood.  We often refer to 4H as our “church” of sorts.  As we get a little older and more experienced each year it becomes more about the kids than that of the pigs, and by no means just our children.  We’ve been privileged enough to have made quite a large family of show kids and parents. 

The OYE gilt was an 8 litter King of the Hill pig that stood out in an exceptional litter.  Her feature was huge, but hung on a great running gear and with incredible look.  Not the kind you think of selling without retaining sow rights.  Two littermate barrows made the sale at Houston, and another mate barrow wins Payne Co. OK, as well as a keeper boar that wound up at HH known as IN The ROUGH.  The 8 litter was predominantly males, only two gilts farrowed.  We retained the mate gilt, and had intentions of retaining “Ollie” as she has been since named. 

Our very good friend, Trent Inman, called before the Holy Smoke Sale to inform me that he has a neighbor and friend that would like to feed a gilt for OYE, the McKay family.  The McKay’s reputation in the Show Cattle business precedes them, making my decision to send my favorite fall gilt their way.  As you can guess, Berkely was an excellent caretaker and showman of Ollie, and we couldn’t be more grateful.   Thank you, it truly is an honor!!

breeding gilt of the year - 2018

Our operation focuses on 50 sows, consisting of crossbreds, Durocs, and Yorkshires. As a young boy, my father operated a 100-sow operation, and then transitioned it into a finishing operation, in my later youth. I spent a lot of time as a young man marking, sorting, and loading market hogs. It was during that time that I developed a passion for the hog business.

What are the goals of your showpig operation?
The goal of our operation is to raise hogs that will be competitive at any level, and to develop lasting relationships with customers and friends, alike, that will last a lifetime.

Do you remember the litter that the Breeding Gilt of the Year come from?
I remember the litter distinctly.   “Snavely 72-4” farrowed 11 alive, unassisted in the 10th crate in our Guymon farrowing house, and the litter was uniform as could be.   The sow milked like a Holstein and got them all to weaning just as uniform as the day they were born.   

Was she a stand out prospect?
16-7 always caught your attention on the sow. When she was in the nursery, your eyes would easily gravitate to her. In the show barn, it wasn’t a question of if she would sell, but who would be kind enough to give her the shot she needed.

What made the pig special?
16-7 had a unique build and presence from the start. Attractive, square built, yet stout in terms of feature. Some would have called her a shade green as a baby, but it never bothered me.

What is most important to you when you're planning matings?
Consistency of litters of pigs from top to bottom is very important to us. We often do not swing for the fence, but rather try to hit lots of singles and doubles.

What advice do you have to your fellow breeders?
Stick to your guns, go with your gut, and do not be afraid to lead.

Rounding out our Top 5 Breeding Gilts of the Year are:

What was special about your gilt?
From day one, we knew that “Chewy” was special. Chewy always carried herself with confidence. She had that “heads up” look and pranced around like she owned the place, from a young age. She drove so well for me, no matter if it was hours in the backyard or in front of the judge. To sum it up, she could just flat drive.

Did she have a special name of nickname?
My gilt loved to chew on everything, so she went by “Chewy.” I went through several pairs of shoes while working with her throughout the summer.  

What all did this gilt win?
Chewy made her first real debut at the Clark County Fair, where she was named the Grand Champion FFA Gilt and Fifth Overall Market Hog. The following week, we loaded her for the Ohio State Fair, where she was named Grand Champion Overall Youth Breeding Gilt.

What is your favorite memory from showing last year?
My favorite memory from showing last year would be winning the Ohio State Fair with Chewy. I also enjoyed the Clark County Fair, because I won both Grand Champion FFA gilt and Grand Champion FFA Barrow. I loved this moment, because I was able to be in the final drive with my little sister, Jessica.  

What was it like to be named champion?
When the judge walked my way and reached out to shake my hand, I went into shock and disbelief. I had just been chosen for Grand Overall, and I couldn’t have been happier. It was a feeling that I’ll never forget. My first reaction was to go give my dad a hug, and we both burst out into tears.

Who has helped you along the way?
I have been blessed to have a lot of helping hands. My father is always right there for me, and my mother is my biggest fan. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without my little sister, who was always up with me at 6 a.m. and out super late in the evenings to help in the barn. Most importantly though, I would like to give credit to Seth and Eli Keplinger. Seth is who I always go to with feed questions, and he has helped my family for many years.  Eli is always there to give me feedback on how to drive a hog well and always reminds me that he thinks my sister can drive one better, just to make me work harder.

 What advice do you have for other exhibitors last year?
My biggest piece of advice for my fellow exhibitors is to never give up. In April of 2017, I was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation and went through brain surgery. I thought this was the end of my show career, but I kept my head up and never looked back. If I would have given up, I would never be where I am today. It is all about being dedicated and not letting anything stop you from chasing your dreams.

How’d this prospect end up in your show barn?
During the state fair of 2016, we camped next to the Genter family. Anyone that knows me, knows I have a huge love for kids, and I quickly became close with the Genter kids. AJ always told dad that he owed me for helping Kisha with the kids while he was busy during the barrow show. We always kept in touch, and this past spring, we made it a point to get to Genter’s. When dad pointed out who was soon to be Chewy, I fell in love.

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