Age: 14

Hometown:Sadorus, IL (Unity High School)

With this uncertainty of this year's show season, explain how excited were you to win your state fair/show?
I was so excited! It really made all those extra hours in the barn pay off! It was hard to stay motivated during the stay-at-home order, but we were very lucky to have little pigs in the barn to work on. I think that the Illinois Junior Livestock Classic and all of the later summer show really kept us going. We just thought about what we wanted to accomplish this summer, and took advantage of some extra time in the barn to do that!

What was something new you tried this year since you were able to be home more often than normal?
I got to experiment with skin and hair a lot more than usual. In a normal year we would just use the same products that always worked but this year we had more time to try out new products. I was able to see which products worked better for different issues and different pigs!

What is your favorite show product to use?
That is a tough question. I think my favorite all around show product is Champion’s choice because it keeps their skin hydrated, makes them sparkle and shine, can be used on white and dark pigs, and is something we can use on them often!

When I grow up I want to be....
involved in the agriculture industry. I know that isn’t very specific, but I am not exactly sure what field I want to have a career in because there are so many a I am interested’ All I know for sure, is that I want to do something with agriculture. I have considered putting on or running junior swine shows, being an Ag teacher, being an Animal scientist, or maybe even being an Ag engineer!

Showing animals has helped me to develop......
responsibility and and understanding of how hard work can pay off. Taking care of pigs has helped me learn to me responsible, because I am responsible for my pigs’ life. They depend on me to feed them,  provide a clean environment for them, and take care of them when they are sick. I cannot just forget to feed them or forget to check on them, because they depend on m. I have also learned a lot about hard work and going the extra mile. Anyone can give their pigs the basics, but if we want to do well with our pigs we have to dedicate time in the barn and work hard to make them look good and act well.

What's your favorite Barn Chore:
I love walking and washing our baby pigs for the first time! Their first bath is always so monumental and I love washing pigs at any age! We walk our pigs inside the barn when they are little, but when they are finally broke enough to walk outside for the first time I always get excited thinking about showing them!

Who is the person you look to for advice right before you go in the ring for that last minute pep talk or pointer:
My Dad! I actually really love that moment right before you go into the show ring because it always feels so tense and exciting. This is where a I get my game-face on and realize that it is time to see how our work will pay off. Dad will tell me to do my best and then he will give me advice on which view of our pig is the best and what  strategies to use in showmanship!

Favorite Celebration Restaurant after a good day at the show:
Well, it kind of depends where we are showing at. However, we show in Springfield a lot and when we are there we always make sure to go to Mario’s!

Favorite Song or Singer:
I don’t really have a specific favorite song/singer, but I like to listen to country and Christian music!