[Ladygrey]

Hi there 

After watching the last episode of first time farmers and seeing the pigs being shown, I would love to give it a try this year

I have a few questions first of all.

1: Obviously the pig is being guided with a board and a stick to turn, but what is stopping the pig from bolting or skipping off forwards like mine do?  would you just be going faster and faster around the ring, still guiding your pig whilst it wrecks complete havock!!

2: I have two litters due beginning of April, I would love to try and enter a "sow and litter" class, do all the younglings need to be tagged or marked? and what is the judge looking for in this entry?

3: Im worried that pigs in pens next to eachother would try fighting? or do the pens usually have solid sides?

Also how do people trim their pigs feet and make the feet neat for the competition?

Im starting now as I know Im going to have to teach my pigs to walk slowly along and not gallop around like lunatics!

Thankyou

[kja]

we show our pigs.

am i right in thinking your talking kk's ? i am not sure their classes are the same as modern/traditional breeds.we only saw kk's at one show last year that was hatfield (and hatfield has decided to not hold its show anymore)

with m & t breeds you aim at pigs for july, september & january then you have your sow classes some shows (very few ) have senior boars too.

we dont show sow & litters.

the pens supplied are fit for purpose at all the shows we attend.

you train the pig to the board and stick and if it runs off you run and bring it under control a out of control pig can be aske to leave the ring. but having said that they soon get the hang of it.

we start piggie school about 14-16 weeks bofeore the shows start our first will be in may but that excludes the januarys.

we had a phone call friday evening whilst out for a meal to say we had been spoted on first time farmers at the great yourkshire 

[Fowgill Farm]

Hi there we show our GOS too.
I just posted a reply in coffee lounge about showing animals and there are some good tips on the GOS website in the forum under showing topic
http://www.oldspots.org.uk/forum.htm
If you can't read them PM me and i will send them to you.
Like KJA i don't show sows and litters IMHO its too stressful for the sow & litter and don't forget by law they have to be two weeks old before they can be moved.
All the best mandy
 

[HappyHippy]

I'd be wary of doing a sow and litter class, even with Kunekunes 
It's a lot of pigs to keep together, inside a ring and away from other pigs (from a bio-security point of view) plus they'd all have to be tagged, recorded and checked on movement forms and I think it would be a fairly stressful experience for the pig and piglets.
But take along one of your sows or older piglets and have a go 

In answer to your questions though,
1) You 'train' the pig to walk with the board (or train yourself to keep up and look like it's trained  ) It doesn't always work, sometimes they can get a bit starstruck and stand, rooted to the spot - sometimes they gallop round the ring (and as Mandy & kja say, they sometimes don't even stay in the ring  ) but it's all part of the fun of showing pigs 

3) The pens I've seen have always been solid sided, but I'm sure someone at whatever show you were planning on going to will be able to tell you for sure, if you're worried about it.

I've trimmed the feet of a very overweight 'micro' pig before (mine tend to wear theirs down in the winter when they're in on concrete  ) using heavy duty sheep hoof trimmers. Just take off a little at a time from the front. Make sure their feet are clean and you're only cutting from the hard part (and watch your fingers !) If you get them comatose with a good belly rubbing session (and have someone to continue doing this while you trim) they hardly even notice - if they get super-stressy, just give them a little can of beer  They'll soon be sound aslepp and you can do it then  I've often wondered if the big rasps for doing horses hooves would be any good as a 'nail file' for on-going maintenance - but haven't tried it myself.

Check out the BKKPS website/newsletter for details of shows that have classes for Kunekunes - fingers crossed there will be one close to where you are. Supposing there aren't any classes for Kunes locally, you should still go along and talk to some of the pig keepers - watch them, see how they do it and you'll learn loads 
Good luck !

[Tudful Tamworths]

If you want, I can send you some stuff I wrote for a series on showing pigs in Country Smallholding magazine. Drop me a message with your email. Where are you, and how far would you want to travel to shows? Give us an idea and we can suggest some events - but don't forget that closing dates can be very early, even for summer shows. Some are as early as March!

[Mrs Snoodles]

I'm keen too. We have 2 boars in the LB litter that look good, one in particular. We will be growing them on anyway and our shows will be well within their sending date (mind you, if they get anywhere I'll be in a right old pickle).  I saw PP mag listed someone once who did a day course.  I've always found this sort of thing really useful so I'm going to see if I can track one down.  If I find anything I'll let you know....

[kja]

I'm keen too. We have 2 boars in the LB litter that look good, one in particular. We will be growing them on anyway and our shows will be well within their sending date (mind you, if they get anywhere I'll be in a right old pickle).  I saw PP mag listed someone once who did a day course.  I've always found this sort of thing really useful so I'm going to see if I can track one down.  If I find anything I'll let you know....

the more the merrier in the show ring .......but showing a boar is not always as easy as a gilt first of all you need 2 handlers and nerves of steel. the tip we had prior to showing is get the feel with females for the fisrt year or 2 then step out with a boar.

[Mrs Snoodles]

I was just thinking that if we are very hands on from the word go, spend time to get the boar super tame (we will only have 3 youngsters to deal with) then we might be ok.  I was even thinking of keeping them in for a quite a while longer after weaning, so that I have a chance to sit down in the straw and get to know them better.

[hughesy]

It's when he sees another boar across the ring that you need to be ready for I would imagine. Our Saddleback boar is a proper gentleman at home but I wouldn't like to try and get between him and anything he wanted to have a go at. If and when I ever get into the show ring it'll definitely be a gilt for starters.

[kja]

I was just thinking that if we are very hands on from the word go, spend time to get the boar super tame (we will only have 3 youngsters to deal with) then we might be ok.  I was even thinking of keeping them in for a quite a while longer after weaning, so that I have a chance to sit down in the straw and get to know them better.

its not just your stock you have to think about. one show last year there were 14 boars in one class being shown on ground goodness knows how many sows & gilts have trodden on all those scents send even the young timed boar into a excited teenage male. when showing males you need 2 handlers per male eyes in the back of your head would be a advantage too.

if you were closer you could come over and have a crash course whilst we are training this years stock.

each pig will be different in the way it needs handling as they each have their own personalities. its albout reading your pig.

[RaisinHall Tamworths]

We show our pigs and really enjoy it, so go for it  .
Been socialising with some of the youngsters today in a bid to make them a bit tamer for the showring  .  We've got an August born Tamworth gilt and boar and a couple of September Hampshires aswell as some of the older sows who enjoy an outing (the ones that don't enjoy it don't go, too much hassle!!) OH always shows our boars, I'm happy to handle them at home but don't like being in charge of them in the ring!!  Looking forward to get them out and about, fingers crossed for a prize or two  .
 

[Beewyched]

I only started last year, after a "Ringcraft" session organised by Karen, Lillian & Robert at Lillian & Robert's holding 


After practising with their ENORMOUS pigs, my Kunekune are an absolute doddle.  I have usually given my piglets 10 minutes every day for a week or 2 before a show, but my Maisie only had 5 minutes practise round our yard, before taking her first trip off the holding since she arrived as a piglet, up to the Smallholder Show in Forfar & not was not only placed as "Best Kunekune" but gained the accolade as "Champion Pig"


Give it a go - it's great fun & an opportunity to meet lots of like-minded folk too 


 

[jellybean]

 i dont show pigs it is a one way street out of here