by Don Hazelett
This marked the 40th year for breeding stock sales following the shows at the Indiana State Fair. Through those 40 years the Spot Sale here has built a tremendous reputation as one of the finest in the country. We do not have a sale report from that 1978 event, so we do not have any averages. We do know that the Champion and Reserve Champion boars both sold for $7,100.00, and that three other boars sold at $3,300, $2,800 and $2,400. There were 106 boars shown, and state fair rules called for only 20 boars to be sold in those early sales.
108 head of gilts were shown in 1978, with the top four gilts selling for$2,900, $2,700, $1,000 and $950.
Five people including myself claim to have attended all 40 of these sales. Tom Farrar, Greg Norman ( he was just a pup at that first one), Dick Oakley, and Gary Perkins's son, who said he was at the 78 sale with his grandfather at the age of 4 and had not missed one since. Mike Irwin missed only last year, and Bill Norman and Ron Pierce have only missed a couple.
Boars average $1,688.46
43 boars from eight (8) states were driven in six classes before judge Jason Corya of Crossroads Boar Stud. Jason did an excellent job of not only placing the classes,lining up the sale order, but of explaining the differences that he was seeing in terms that could be understood by all. It would not be fair to say that this was the greatest set of Spot boars ever driven at Indiana. They were not! But they were a good set …. a set with a number of boars that if used right will be breed improvers. They just lacked a couple of Super stars like we have seen here so many times in the past.
13 boars sold for an average of $1,688.46, compared to 17 selling at $2,521 a year ago. The Champion and top selling boar was exhibited by Duane Taulman & Family of Remington, Indiana. He was a stress negative son of Downtown and out of an On The Run daughter that was the $5,000 top selling gilt here last year, and a littermate to the shows Grand Champion boar. This was a very attractive meat hog. He had a big top with a lot of shape, a big powerful chest, and an extended front end. It was easy to see him siring very competitive show barrows that should be very stout and powerful, with plenty of muscle. He was purchased by Joel Olson, of Adkins, IA; Steve Resler of Owatonna, MN : Dustin Feldman of Ionia, Ia. and Kevin Wetovick of Owatonna, MN at the boar sale top price of $8,000.00.
The Reserve Champion was a super correct son of Scorpion for Norman Bros of Sidell, Ill. He too was stress negative, and paraded the ring with an up headed show ring look and just super soundness. His dam was a daughter of Loud Mouth and was a littermate to the Champion boar at the 2016 Summer Type conference. Gary Perkins of Fowler, IN purchased him at $600.
The third boar in the sale ring was the Reserve Senior Champion shown by Farrar Stock Farms of Royal Center, IN. A real heavy duty son of Smack Talk this long bodied, big boned fellow was deep and massive, with a excellent butt end. He was purchased by Farrar Boar Stud at $1,000.00
Triggs Show Pigs of Mt. Ayr, IA won class 4 with a with a super stout son of Downtown. He scanned a 9.2 loineye, had a big chest, a huge blade, and extra heavy bone. His dam was a Two Stroke daughter and was a littermate to the Reserve champion on the Iowa show circuit last summer. Armstrong Genetics of Huntsville, Ill purchased him at $600.00.
The first place boar in the youngest class was next in the sale ring for Burkhalter Show pigs of Lafayette, IN. A littermate had stood 2nd. This was a powerful pair, with stoutness and shape of muscle. They were sired by Right Now and were both Stress Negative. Triggs's added the class winner at $800.00, while A Cut Above Boar Stud of Benedict, NE got the really ripped topped littermate at $400.
Baker Brothers of Dike, Ia followed with a super sound, well balanced, very attractive son of Adrenaline, that had stood 2nd in class two behind the Grand Champion. Logan McKeon of Ellsworth, ILL purchased him at $700.00.
The third top selling boar of the offering was the 2nd place boar in class 3 for Dakota & Garrett Reiss of Weskan, KS. A really fancy fronted individual with a lot of stoutness, a big rump and butt end, he was sired by Mouth Off, and was stress negative. He sold to Scott & Jayme Sieren of Keota, IA. At $2,250.00
Stateline Genetics of Popular Grove, ILL purchased the next boar in the ring at the second top price of the sale of $5,500.00. He was the 3rd place pig from that powerful youngest boar class, and was a very stout, wide fronted, thick topped son of Downtown. Shown by M & N Showpigs of Center Point, IA, he was stress negative, and moved with excellent reach off his front end.
The 3rd place boar from that strong class two belonged to Triggs Show pigs. A very massive, powerful fronted boar, with a really big blade, he was sired by Downtown. He had scanned the largest loineye of the boar show at 10.2 and was Stress negative. His dam was a littermate to the 2015 Hog college boar by Waiting Game. Grove Swine Farm of Shelby, OH purchased him at $1,200.00
Stateline Genetics made their second purchase of the day on a Mouth OFF son from Gracie Wright of Alexandria, KY. A very stout, heavy duty kind of a boar, he was very easy in his movement and stress negative. He sold for $300.
Hannah, Holden, & Hayden Miller, of Cabery, ILL had an extended son of Trading Favors in 4th in class three that sold for $300 to Stoney Creek Farm in Michigan. A littermate to the Champion boar at Ohio for Pullins Family Swine of Quincy, OH stood 3rd in class four. A big chested, negative son of Loud Mouth he sold to Ellison Spots Concord, MI for $300
Another Super Gilt Sale
Highlighted by a sale record $10,000.00 on the Grand Champion female, there was again great demand for Spot gilts at this years Indiana State Fair. The quality was there. Many felt the quality of the gilt show was right up there with the great shows of the last two or three years.
Here is a look at the averages for the last three years and 10 years ago
top average top 10 top 20
17 10,000 39- 1,194 2,920 1,910
16 5,000 43- 1,276 3,100 2,035
15 8,000 41- 1,226 3,515 2,282
07 5,200 50- 720 2,140
Livermore's Champion gilt
Throughout the 40 years of this sale we have had many great Champion gilts. I'm not going to tell you that this one was the best of the bunch,.... but she was right up there. Her selling price of $10,000 makes here a record selling gilt for this event, and like we have said a couple of times before, if she had been a boar, they might still be bidding.
A negative daughter of Mouth Off, she was exhibited by Livermore Swine Genetics of Media, Ill. She was one wide, deep and massive individual, that had the length of body and frame size to make her a big powerful meat hog. With it all she was very level in her design and took a long, free stride off of both ends. She will get every chance to help make breed improvement, as she was purchased by Lowdermilk Show pigs of Center Point, IN. It will be interesting to see how Troy breeds her the first couple of rounds.
The Reserve Senior and Reserve Grand Champion was shown by Dylan Hollowell, of Covington, OH. She was a negative daughter of Loud Mouth and won class 7. The word balance really describes this lady. Wide chest, big meaty top, super side view profile, and really square made the way she hits the ground. Like most of the Loud Mouth's she was super in her bone work and her overall stoutness.
Green Valley Genetics of Lanesville, IN. added her at $4,000.
Alyvia Myers of Albany, IN had the Champion gilt from the 4-H show held a week earlier. She did not have to show in the open show to be in the sale. She was a really good one, having defeated 108 gilts in the 4-H show. Really square bodied, super sound, with a long stride off both ends, she just had foundation female written all over her. She was sired by Rite Kind, the Reserve Grand at Indiana behind Loud Mouth a couple of years ago. She sold to Sam Scher of Huntington, IN at $4,500. Will also be interesting to see how she gets mated.
Class I gilts (2-20 to 3-2) 5 shown
M&N show pigs, won this youngest gilt class with a very sound, up headed daughter of Stampede, that just had that killer look! She sold for $1,000 to Matt Heins of Center Point, Ia. The Wilt Family of Washington Court House, OH stood 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in this class.
Class II gilts (2-8 to 2-13) 9 shown
Karissa King of Covington, OH topped the second youngest class with a very pretty, up headed daughter of Loud Mouth, with a big chest and great shape to her top. She sold for $2,000 to Ron Pierce of Laura, OH. Second was Halle Hartman of Sayre, OK with an easy moving , brood show looking daughter of On The Run, that had a near perfect underline. She sold to of Kurtis Kolb of Washburn, Ill for $700. Dennis Chenoweth & Family of Portland were in third with a really big topped gilt with a big bold center body. She sold to Troy Parker of Albion, IN for $500.
Class III gilts (2-3 to 2-7) 9 shown
A big, bold daughter of Pistol, that was very comfortable in her movement, won this class for Steve & Laura Hannon of Kouts. She sold for $300 to Tony Ploss of Star City. Jeff & Brendan Peters of Popular Grove, Ill were in 3rd with a real heavy duty daughter of Downtown. She sold for $550.
Riley Meyers, Capron, ILL was in 5th with a good designed daughter of College King that had scanned .71 backfat and a 9.3 loineye. She sold to Lahr Purebreds, Huntington, IN for$300.
Class IV gilts (2-1 to 2-2) 9 shown
A very attractive, big butt ended daughter of Mouth Off topped this early February class for Neanen Show barrows of New Madison, OH. She was purchased by Stoney Creek Farm of Michigan at $1,300. In 2nd was a very attractive, big, bold daughter of Double Time for Nash Bouse of Mentone, IN. She sold to Adam Hart of Morrice, MI for $600. M.D. Moore of Warren, IN. stood 5th and 6th with littermate daughters of Double Time that both sold for $300 each to Jakob Franklin of Lafayette.
Class V gilts (1-22 to 1-30 ) 10 shown
The shows Junior and Reserve Junior Champion gilts topped this class of late January gilts. Howell Brothers of Sidney, OH had the Junior Champion on a very trendy, up headed daughter of On The Run, that had great range of motion, and excellent muscle. She scanned .62 backfat and 8.2 loineye.
Merley Farms of Akron, IN purchased her at $1,000. Seth Gilstrap of Crawfordsville, IN had the Reserve on a really deep ribbed, big boned daughter of Trading Favors. This was one heavy duty lady, with excellent width and mass. She sold to Betsy & Tony McMichael of Stilesville, IN for $1,400.
Keliah Smith of Tipton, IN was in 4th with a daughter of Mouth Off, that was really impressive going away from you. She sold to Baxter Holdcroft of Dunkirk, IN at $300.
Class VI gilts ( 1-17 to 1-21) 10 shown
A very well balanced daughter of Double Time with excellent muscle and high quality underline topped this mid-January class for Lowdermilk Show Pigs. She sold to Barry Scales of Rochester, IN at $500. 2nd was a Downtown daughter shown by Elizabeth Baker of Jonesboro. An extremely attractive, neat fronted lady, with that show gilt look, and a big body, she sold to sold to Rex
Smith of Indianapolis for $1,000. In 3rd was Braxton Minnich of Geneva, IN with a very sound, good muscled daughter of Trading Favors. She sold to Lahrs Purebreds of Huntington at $350. An up headed daughter of Trading Favors, with excellent muscle (she scanned at 9.2 loineye) stood in 4th for Chad Towell of Portland. She sold to Ellison Spots of Concord, MI at $300. In 6th was another very attractive gilt shown by Dakota & Garrett Reiss of Weskan, KS. Really powerful in the front 2/3 of her body, this daughter of Mouth Off, sold for $900 to Scott & Jayme Sieren, of Keota, IA.
Class VII gilts ( 1-13 to 1-16 ) 9 shown
Hollowell's Reserve grand champion topped this very deep class. In 2nd was a very flexible, deep ribbed daughter of Instant Addiction that really looked like a brood sow. She was shown by B's Show Pigs of Rochester, and sold to Dave Chlupacek of Walkerton, IN for $400. Another Instant Addiction daughter, this one shown by Sam Stewart of Bargersville was in 3rd. A powerful made gilt with excellent rib and mass, she sold to Jason Corya & Family of Commiskey at $450. In 4th was another powerful, big topped gilt shown by Kendra & Katelynn Arnold of Andrews. Sired by pistol, she sold for $1,400. 5th was a Loud Mouth daughter shown by Seth Gilstrap of Crawfordsville. A little bigger in her frame work than some, she was tall at her shoulder, very clean fronted, with excellent muscle shape down her top. She sold to Tony Ploss of Star City for $1,000.
Class VIII gilts ( 1-8 to 1-12 ) 10 shown
Winning the blue in this drive was Patrick Badger of Sullivan, with a daughter of Mouth Off. Very comfortable in her movement this lean made, meaty lady sold to Ned Smith of Michigantown at $900. 2nd here was a very stout daughter of Listen In that was really busted open both front and rear. Shown by Landon & Emma Patrick of Pierceton, she also sold to Ned Smith at $700. A long bodied, deep ribbed, square made daughter of Instant Addition stood 3rd in this drive for Noah Roy of Battle Ground.
Chad Lytle of Warren purchased her at $350.
Ease of movement and that show ring look were a couple of the strong features of the Double Time daughter that stood in 4th in this drive. Shown by Bryon & Alex Bradbury of Terre Haute, she was purchased by Stoney Creek Farm in Michigan for $900. 5th was another Double Time daughter that was really slick in her look. Up headed, lean in her makeup (.65 backfat at 300 pounds) and very correct & easy in her movement. She was shown by Colten Leininger of Windfall and sold to Tom Zell of Winchester at $1,100.
Class IX (1-2 to 1-7 ) 10 shown
The real power class of the gilt show was this early January drive headed by Livermore's Grand Champion. Following her in class was a big bodied, big boned, excellent muscled daughter of Loud Mouth for Drew & Stacy Farrar of Royal Center. She had a lot of friends and sold to Blake & Macy Wehmeier of Columbus at the fourth top price of the sale of $2,000. In 3rd was a daughter of Empire that was a little smaller in her frame than some, but just huge in her chest width, deep in her rib, and just loaded with width and shape to her top. She was shown by Easton Schipper of South Whitley and sold for $700 to Rex Schippel of South Whitley.
Fourth was Greg & Joni Hartman of Sayre, Ok on a stout, deep bodied daughter of Stampede with tremendous shape to her top. (she scanned a 9.9 loineye). She sold to Wyatt Willson of Bunker Hill at $300. 5th was a long, lean daughter of Lost Luggage that scanned .79 backfat and a 9.7 loineye at 350 pounds. She sold to Howell Stock Farms, Sidney, OH at $1,500. Another Loud Mouth daughter was in 6th for Sadie & Colby Wyrick of Sharpsville. A fault free gilt, with that show ring look, she sold to Jakob Franklin of Lafayette for $300.
Class X ( 12-13 to 12-30 ) 2 shown
Only two December gilts, but a pair that could stand some competition. Drew Farrar won the class with a really big topped daughter of Renaissance. She had scanned a 10.7 loineye and was just loaded with product. She sold to David Todd & Family of Ossian for $1,000. Colten Leininger's long, bold, free moving daughter of Chatter in 2nd and sold to Mark Bowyer, Bridgeport, Ill at $600.
Mouth Off was the shows Premier Sire and his sire Loud Mouth was the Reserve. Both are owned by Upper Hand Genetics at Huntington, IN.
In the 4-H barrow show two weeks earlier, Kyra Kennedy of Urbana had the Champion Spot barrow on a son of Loud Mouth. He was raised by the Greg Michel's of North Manchester.
Reserve was exhibited by Sam Stewart of Bargersville on a son of Say What raised by Greiner's of Connersville.
The changes in the swine industry and the Spotted breed over this last 40 years have been many, but the Indiana State fair sale has held up well, year after year, as one of the very best in the Nation.
Change over the next 10 years as we approach the 50th anniversary will be very interesting to watch.
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