Number of firsts at big animal competition
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 09/10/2012 2:48 PM
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DES MOINES — The Iowa State Fair's biggest animals contests provided serveral firsts this year. The Big Boar, Big Ram and Super Bull competitions were held the first day of the fair.
Kelly and Susan Hammen of Clarion were the first mother and daughter team to show the Champion and Reserve Champion Big Ram. Kelly was the first woman to show the Champion Ram in 2010.
Kelly's ram, Bo, a Suffolk crossbred, weighed 380 pounds, beating out five other entrants. Second place was claimed by Hubert, Susan's ram, a Hampshire crossbred, weighed 376.5 pounds.
"It's always fun to win," said Kelly. "There's no other way to describe it."
"It was fun to come down and even more fun that we did it as a mother-daughter team," said Susan, who works at First Citizen's National Bank in Clarion.
Kelly raises cattle and also farms with her parents. When it comes to livestock, "You name it, we've got it, cattle, sheep pigs," Kelly said.
Reggie, a purebred Red Wattle boar, easily outweighed the competition to set a fair record and win the Big Boar crown. It was also the first time an out-of-state boar won the competition. Reggie is owned by Rick and Jodi Stockdale's sons Jonathan, Jackson and William; their cousin, Landon Copple, 6, and the boys' grandparents James and Linda Copple, all of Austin, Ind.
"It's a project between the boys and their grandpa," Rick Stockdale said.
Stockdale, an Indiana state trooper, said the boar was 2011 Biggest Boar at the Indiana State Fair and Reserve Biggest Boar in 2010. That year Reggie was also on display at the Texas State Fair.
The big pig tipped the scale at 1,335 pounds, which smashed the old record of 1,259 pounds set in 2008 by Freight Train.
"He's done charity events at the local county 4-H Fair the last few years," Stockdale said.
"Everyone is crazy about Reggie at home," said Jodi Stockdale.
Stockdale said his boys show pigs and wanted to come to Iowa to see the swine shows. Since they were coming anyway, they decided to bring Reggie.
Buddy, a five-year-old Hampshire boar exhibited by Hall and Denise Everman of Postville, took second place at 1,128 pounds. Third place went to Fred Hoiboar, a Hampshire, owned by John Sweeney of Pleasant Hill. The hefty hog weighed 1,079 pounds.
Named for Iowa State University basketball coach Fred Hoiberg, the third-place boar has been a fundraising mascot for Camp Odayen, a charity supported by Hoiberg that makes it possible for children with heart disease to attend summer camp.
"About 10 of us were at the fair a couple of years ago, and we decided it would be a neat thing to enter a big boar," said John Sweeney. "I was the only one who had a place to keep him. Coach Hoiberg and his charity got involved, too."
Sweeney, who lives on an acreage with his wife, Terry, said that the red "Bring Home the Bacon" T-shirt sales and sponsorships have raised $12,000 for Camp Odayen.
Fred Hoiboar had a big cheering section of fans wearing the red shirts. Coach Hoiberg assisted in walking his namesake to the scale.
"Fred Hoiboar has a really big personality and loves being around people," Sweeney said. "He has a great life in my barn. There's a sound system with classical music and a cooling, misting fan."
Ernie Barnes, swine manager and Big Boar master of ceremonies, said it's the first time the Big Boar contest has been used to raise money for a charity. To learn more go to www.fredhoiboar.com.
Payweight, the 2,646 pound Angus bull owned by Marvin Spear of Indianola, outweighed the competition to win the Super Bull contest. Doug Sudbrock of Indianola took second with his Red Angus bull "Wingnut" weighing in at 2,106 pounds.