Tuesday, February 24, 1998

Indiana and Stamford boars are high on the hogs at Hamp Conference

By J.T. Smith / Farm Editor

SWEETWATER - The top boar of the 33rd annual National Southwestern Hampshire Conference came a dab more than 1,000 miles to win here Monday.

As the crow flies, the reserve boar made about a 50-mile jaunt from Stamford.

But no matter where the pigs came from, the Hampshire entries from 14 states made this perhaps the toughest day-long show ever.

Ted Froderman & Family of Brazil, Indiana, claimed Grand Champion Boar accolades. Actually, "family" stayed home.

Froderman, 36, drove 18 hours "straight through" from Indiana by himself to haul his his home-raised boar here. His wife, Cheryl, and their youngsters, Beau, 11, and Callie, 9, stayed behind to see after the Indiana farm in his absence.

"It was my first time to come to Sweetwater," Froderman noted. "I knew I had a real good boar - but still, I was a bit surprised to win."

Meanwhile, the reserve grand boar belonged to Chad Baize of Stamford. The Baize clan had a tremendous day - not only with the reserve boar that was first in its respective class - but several top placing boars and females.

In addition to the Hampshires of Chad Baize, several Hamps shown by his father, Russ Baize of Baize Farms, Inc., also chalked up top placings in both the gilt and boar shows.

During the morning female show that preceded the afternoon boar competitin, Jerry McLemore of Ninnekah, Okla., showed the Grand Champion Gilt.

Meghan K. Grebner of Washburn, Ill., had the reserve champion gilt.

Dr. Tom Baas of Iowa State University acknowledged he was a bit nervous about traveling from Ames, Iowa, to Sweetwater to judge what has become the premier Hampshire event in the United States.

And what does Baas look for in a top boar, anyway?

Well, the expression - "fat as a pig" - doesn't fit today's modern swine industry. Consumers want lean meat and they get it.

Nowadays, length of body, scale, balance, soundness, good stance, lean muscle, thick shoulders and a tight rear end are the makings of a champ.

"None of these boars was fat," Dr. Baas noted.

The excitement will be move into a feverish pitch with the sale of the top hogs at 11 a.m. today in the Nolan County Coliseum. The public is welcome. A swine judging contest will precede sale and test the pig knowledge of women, men, juniors, FFA members, 4-H'ers and collegiate contestants with registration from 7:15 a.m. until 7:45 a.m., and the contest at 8 a.m. Other Monday results follow. NATIONAL SOUTHWESTERN HAMPSHIRE CONFERENCE Gilt Show

Class I gilts - 1. Jeremy McLemore, Ninnekah, Okla.; 2. Earl Cain & Family, Chariton, Iowa; 3. Marcus Miller, Forrest, Illinos.

Class II gilts - 1. Great Plains Genetics, Buffalo, Okla.; 2. Jim Maddox, Custer, Okla.; 3. Wintex Farms, Lubbock.

Class III gilts - 1. Jack Ricker, Fort Jennings, Ohio; 2. Mike Ricker, Fort Jennings, Ohio; 3. Christopjher and Megan Perry, Bethel, Mo.

Ckass IV gilts - 1. Baize Farms, Inc., Stamford, Texas; 2. Robert DeOrnellas, Sullivan, Ill.; 3. David Martin, Marion, Iowa.

Class V gilts - 1. Meghan K. Grebner, Washburn, Ill.; 2. J.J. Maddox, Custer, Okla.; 3. Earl Cain and Family, Chariton, Iowa.

Clas VI gilts - 1. Jerry McLemore, Ninnekah, Okla.; 2. Jack Ricker, Fort Jennings, Ohio; 3. John Veach, Rockville, Indiana.

CHAMPION GILT - JERRY McLEMORE, NINNEKAH, OKLA.

RESERVE CHAMPION GILT - MEGHAM K. GREBNER, WASHBURN, ILL. Boar Show

Class I boars - 1. Marcus Miller, Forest, Ill.; 2. Jim Maddox, Custer, Okla.; 3. High-Point Genetics, Chrisman, Ill.

Class II boars - 1-2. Savage Genetics, Tecumseh, Okla.; 3. Gary Settles, Winfield, Iowa.

Class III boars - 1. William G. Nash & Sons, Sharpsville, Ind.; 2. DeWayne Craig, Chrisman, Ill.; 3. Parkison & Rodibaugh, Rensselaer, Ind.

Class IV boars - 1. Hi-Point Genetics, Chrisman, Ill.; 2. Robert Meeker, Delevan, Ill.; 3. Kyle Hopkins, Rockville, Ind.

Class V boars - 1. Ted Froderman & Family, Brazil, Indiana; 2-3. Eli Veach, Rockville, Ind.

Class VI boars - 1. Oliver & McLemore, Ninnekah, Okla.; 2. Baize Farms, Inc., Stamford, Texas; 3. Hale's Farms, Brocton, Ill.

Class VII boars - 1. John Veach, Rockville, Ind.; 2. Jim and Steve Earnhart, Albion, Ind.; 3. John Veach, Rockville, Ind.

Class VIII boars - 1. Chad Baize, Stamford, Texas; 2. Ledger Swine Farm, Williamsburg, Iowa; 3. W.R. Genetics, Palmyra, Neb.

CHAMPION BOAR - TED FRODERMAN & FAMILY, BRAZIL, INDIANA.

RESERVE CHAMPION BOAR - CHAD BAIZE, STAMFORD, TEXAS.