Mon, 28 June 2021
Any of you who have shown animals at your county fair or jackpot shows, or who have kids who do have seen the families that seem to have repeated success, over and over, in the show ring. Quite honestly, sometimes animosity can build when families have repeated success at a high level and the rest of the field seems to be perpetually in 2nd place. In today's episode, I get to speak with a student with a family tradition of success in the show arena, exhibiting pigs. Jaycie Jordan will be joining us to discuss this aspect of the pig business. Jaycie's family farm began with her parents when she was about three years old. Both of them enjoyed raising and showing pigs, so pigs have been the one, consistent livestock animal on their farm. Jaycie has three older siblings, and all of them have preceded her in the FFA and in the show ring. This family is all about raising, breeding, and showing pigs, and with five mentors ahead of her (2 parents and 3 siblings) Jaycie found herself winning her first grand champion ribbon his past year. As she notes in the episode, this comes after a streak of 12 straight grand champion or reserve grand champion ribbons by somebody in her family. Jaycie goes into detail about how they breed their pigs, how they feed, practices they are adopting, and practices that they are abandoning. I have been that parent in the stand, watching a well know family to win over and over and over again. And, I have heard the grumblings of other people wondering what is going on. The truth is, some families have figured it out. Jaycie's family certainly has. With everyone putting their best foot forward with their pigs, great things are bound to happen! |