The 4-H events at the Decatur County Fair kept rolling on Wednesday as hundreds of pigs waddled into the arena at the fairgrounds. Accompanied by their handlers, the animals competed in the annual swine competition.

Fast moving blurs of pink snouts and curly tails zipped around the show arena, as the animals proved to be more than a handful. Competing in more than 30 separate classes, the county’s 4-Hers stayed busy all day as the pigs scrambled around the building. Lacking the complacency of other animals like sheep or cows, the swine stole the show as organized chaos reigned supreme in the arena. Though they were feisty, the students performed ably, even when their pigs would act out or stick their distinctive snouts where they did not belong.

Before the competition kicked off, 4-H students cleaned up their animals and prepared them for judging. The event’s judge, Kirk Miller, commended Decatur County for the youth involvement in the program, and he noted that other county contests he had judged did not have nearly as much interest from the younger community that Decatur County did.

Miller did not take long for introductions. With more than 240 heads of pig to get through, the competition began quickly and students and swine began filing into the holding pens.

The first big winner of the day was Paige Coy, a 10-year 4-H member. Coy was named champion in the Purebred Gilts category, while Morgan Cox was named Reserve Champion.

According to Coy and her mother Jeanie, the winning Purebred Gilt was a Hampshire Gilt that was the offspring of last year’s Reserve Grand Champion. Coy raised the animal herself, and she also fed the pig, walked it and kept it comfortable. It was that kind of dedication that made the pig a champion.

After the Purebred Gilt winner was announced, Miller was quick to point out that he had rarely seen a community with so many purebreds.

The event continued on and winner after winner was announced. Once all gilts had been examined, the winning students, along with their swine cohorts, entered the ring for the announcement of the Grand Champion of the gilts category. The judge took his time contemplating the winning female, and his choice landed on Abby Coy. Coy was named the Grand Champion, and her sister Paige was named Reserve Grand Champion.

“It was a family affair,” Jeanie Coy said.

Abby, a 4-H member in her eighth year, had only been participating in the pig show for seven years. But with lots of training and a family offering their support, Abby was able to walk away the champ. But for her, it’s not always fun and games.

“We have to walk them every day, give them baths, and give them the right feed rations so they look the way they do,” she explained.

While the Coy sisters came away winners thanks to their training and expertise, it was their family’s agriculturally inclined motto that drove them to succeed.

“Winners are bred, champions are fed,” Abby said.