Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Narrative



I step in the ring. My heart is pounding right out of my chest.  My pig is in front of me, in between me and the judge.  I look the man in the eye and shake his hand and go back to showing.  The pig is moving right where I want him to go.  The funny part is my brother walks in right behind me in the ring.  I just think in my head, I just want to beat him because he already has won a title, Reserve Grand Champion.  I just want to show him that’s he’s not the only one that can win in the family.  Everyone that I am showing against has entered the ring.  The judge starts to move around in the ring, I keep my pig moving around.
Three months earlier, on June 1st I went up to Finlay, Ohio, to pick out my pig. This could potentially be the pig that allows me to follow in my brother’s footsteps and win the honor of being Grand Champion. It was a Yorkshire, which is a pig that is mostly 99% white.  It’s not my favorite type of pig but it’s what the judge liked so I had to get it.  Another type of pig that is often used as a show pig is a Hampshire; it is a pig that is black with a white belt, one of my favorites.
During the summer in the middle of July, it is now the time to weigh my pig, I have to see how much heavier I need to get him so he will be at the correct weight, to be worth a lot of money. I put him on the scale, which is a lot harder than you would think; it’s the moment of truth. He has to be around at least 180 so I have enough room to make sure he is between 220 and 280 pounds.  He’s on the scale, and my mom reads the numbers, it’s not looking too good.  His weight is only 175 that means I need to put at least 45 pounds on him to make weight.  In my head I know I can do it, but at the same time I’m just freaking out.  I know I can do it because we have put 60 pounds on a pig in less than 5 weeks, so I know it can happen.  I have to feed him goat milk, syrup, and bread. I know it sounds gross, but pigs love it.  They eat it so fast, to the point that puts a human male to shame.
Finally it is one week till fair, my nerves are acting up and I just cannot wait.  I am scared that my pig may be overweight.  It’s The Saturday before the fair, the odds of my pig weighing just enough that he might go overboard.  He was at 272 and just a week from the fair. It’s Friday and it’s time to move my pigs to the fair.  We have to move him into the pen to stay overnight until the big day. As Saturday approached it was finally time to weigh him one last time. My pig is on the scale, and the woman reads me his weight….. 275. Yes! He’s underweight.  I am so happy I was smiling from ear to ear.  I could not believe that he was underweight at just the right amount.  If he would have been any heavier I would not have been able to show. That was just too close for comfort.  Monday is the next big day.  Now that I know I can show my pig, it is up to me to show the judges exactly what it can do and how it behaves. I have to move the pig around in a pen with a bunch of other pigs to show how the pig can be handled and what it looks like, weight wise.
It is Monday, time for the show.  Those of us participating are required to show in classes based on the weight of the pig, so that all of the kids get to show their pigs at least one time.  I am waiting in the holding pens on the side of the ring.  I just want to get in there to show what I can do.  It is time for me to get in the ring and show off my animal.  The pig is the first one to get in the ring between me and the judge.  I looked the judge in the eyes as I walked in the ring for the first time this year.  He looks at me and my pig to see what he looks like from all sides.  That’s how judges tell what your pig’s muscles look like, aka the different cuts of meat.  When I walk by the judge in my class, it is the first time he gets to see the pig.  After everyone enters the ring, the judge walks to the mike and starts to talk about everyone in the ring.  I know that I did the best I could, but I just want to win.  He points at me and says “this will be your class winner today.”  I was so happy but then I knew I have to show for the division champion now.
They call me back to the ring to show against the 3 other class winners.  My brother is in there with me, but I know I can win.  I have the best pig in there.  The judge looks at all of our pigs and then goes and grabs the mike to talk about all of our pigs.  He picks the winner, and looks right at me, I win reserve division champ. I was so happy to have gotten the opportunity to win and actually beat my brother.  This was one of the most exciting events that has happen to me thus far.