By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Pork Chop, Snoop Hogg, and Alexander Ham-ilton. Those were just a few of the pig names for Sunday's Celebrity Showmanship near the conclusion of the 2024 Barton County Fair. Sunflower Diversified's Angie Hicks won the contest despite having no direct experience showing livestock.
"I've never shown, but I watched my daughter for a good six years showing for the Barton County 4-H clubs," Hicks said. "I've always been on the outside of the ring so it was awesome to finally get my chance in the ring. I think that gave me a little bit of an advantage at least having seen a show before."
The seven celebrity showmen answered questions about their animals, including weights and feeding habits. Barton County Fair Board Treasurer Kate Wary said that's typical in regular showmanship. Another trick is knowing where to look while showing a pig.
"Ideally, if the judge is looking toward you, you should be able to watch the judge all the time," she said. "You should have full control of your animal without having to stare at is is the goal."
Troy Miller, executive board member for the fair, did the judging. He reminded contestants to walk, not run after their pigs. That proved to be a difficult task for Eagle Radio's Shannon Towns as her pig, Tank, delighted the crowd with an energetic performance. Clara Barton Medical Center's Kelci Burkey was named reserve showman.
