By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
If Brandon Anderson can run a city like he shows a pig, the city of Great Bend is in good hands. A handful of local celebrities tried their hand at the 4-H activity Sunday afternoon in Expo III. Ellinwood's Anna Ricker won Senior Showmanship for Swine and instructed the celebrities before the show.
"You have to practice with your pig," she said. "You have to walk them a lot. You have to feed them right so they get the good build. You have to make sure they keep their head up, and you have to be able to drive them into the judge to show them what your pig looks like."
Anderson began serving as Great Bend city administrator on July 1. Sunday he showed a pig against the likes of Hoisington's Lincoln Elementary Principal Karisa Cowan, Dr. Roxanne Stiles, Claflin Mayor Mike Urban, and staff members from the Great Bend Rec Commission. Anderson used previous showmanship experience to win the title, pleasing the emcee and Barton County Fair Board Executive Troy Miller.
"He kept the hog between me and him," Miller told the crowd. "He knew the tough questions. He knew tough answers. He just kept that hog on the move. One other thing you'll learn in the show ring: if your hog takes off running, you just walk after it. You don't run after it. You just walk calmly after it, let him do his thing, and catch up."
Rain shortened Saturday's rock concert at the fair, but all things were shining for Sunday's final day that included the 4-H barbecue, showcase awards, and sale of champions.