“The kids work with these pigs for six to eight months trying to prepare them,” said Courtney Krentz, president of the Alpena County Fair Board. “The goal is to present their pig to the judge in the best possible light.”

“Training a pig to run is a lot of work, especially because pigs love to run in a new environment,” Krentz said. “If you have good control of your pig at home and work with him a lot, it will show in the ring.”

Krentz emphasized that pig farming is not just about the physical task of training the animal, but that it also involves significant learning experiences for those involved.

“Raising pigs teaches the kids a lot: how to feed them, how to handle the financial aspects like feed and vet bills, and how much time it takes to train the pigs,” Krentz said. “Then when these kids go to the market to sell the animals, it’s important that they can go out and talk to people. That gives them those skills and the confidence to invite buyers to buy their animals.”

News photo by Temi Fadayomi Contestants in the hog competition show off their pigs at the Alpena County Fair on Monday. Contestants, ages five to 19, brought their pigs into the ring, demonstrating the result of months of hard work and preparation.

The event, which attracts a large crowd each year, ran smoothly despite the usual challenges of getting the pigs in and out of the ring.

“This show runs extremely smoothly,” Krentz said Monday. “It’s always pretty hectic at the Hog Show, but we have a really smooth system. The community loves this show – it’s one of their favorite shows.”

The Hog Show not only recognized the hard work and dedication of participants, but also promoted community engagement as young exhibitors demonstrated their skills and made connections with potential buyers. The event was a testament to the show’s role in building skills and bringing the community together.

The Alpena County Fair, celebrating its 150th anniversary, continues throughout the week and many more events are planned for the community.

Reach Temi Fadayomi at 989-358-5693 or [email protected].