SWINE

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture Swine Program holds many opportunities for youth participants to show their livestock across the state. With 4 market shows spread throughout the state, 4H and FFA exhibitors can choose shows close by or travel to them all! Additionally, three Kentucky Junior Livestock expos are held throughout the summer. Exhibitors have the opportunity to participate in showmanship at all shows if they like. Participants and breeders are eligible to be members of the Kentucky Proud Livestock Tag Program. Any animal born and raised in Kentucky is eligible for this program and any youth exhibiting these animals with a legitimate Kentucky Proud tag will receive additional premiums and be in contingent for Kentucky Proud winnings at the Kentucky State Fair. Exhibitors also accumulate points throughout the show season in competition and the results are presented at a Points Banquet at the conclusion of the season.



2025 Swine District Rules, Regulations, and Shows

Show Date
& Show Time

Receive Hogs

Location

Committee
Chair Person

Rough River District Swine Show - Youth Only

June 7
10:30 a.m. CDT

weigh-in:
7:30 – 9:30  a.m. CDT

Breckinridge County Fairgrounds, Hardinsburg, Kentucky

 *ALL ANIMALS MUST BE ON GROUNDS BY 9AM

* All pens are available on a first come, first serve basis with no reserving of pens allowed.  Hogs on the ground will take available pens.  Pens must be cleaned upon completion of the show.

Carol M. Hinton
office phone: 270.756.2182
cmhinton@uky.edu

Central Kentucky District Swine Show -Youth Only     

MAY 30
10:30 a.m. EDT

weigh-in:
8:00 - 10:00 a.m. EDT

Scott County Fairgrounds, Georgetown, KY

 *ALL ANIMALS MUST BE ON GROUNDS BY 9AM

Niki Ellis

KY Classic Junior Breeding Gilt Show    

TBD

10:00 AM

CDT

Weigh-in: 7:00 – 9:00 AM CST

 

Logan County Ag Center Russellville, Kentucky   * All pens are available on a first come, first serve basis with no reserving of pens allowed.  Hogs on the ground will take available pens.

Chris Milam

West Kentucky District Swine Show -Youth Only    

June 12
5:00 p.m. CDT

weigh-in:

2:30 - 4:00 p.m. CDT

Muhlenberg Co. Agricultural Center, Powderly, Kentucky

* Additional county fair premiums will be offered by the Muhlenberg County Fair.

Darrin Benton

Germantown District Swine Show -Youth Only

July 19
10:00 a.m. EDT

weigh-in:
7:30 - 9:30 a.m. EDT

Germantown Fairgrounds, Germantown, Kentucky

* all pens are available on a first come, first serve basis with no reserving of pens allowed.  Hogs on the ground will take available pens.  Pens must be cleaned upon completion of the show.

* Exhibitors will declare weights at this show. Each hog must weigh within 15 pounds of the declared weight.

Mike Ross

Additional Events

Event

Location

Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo - East
June 2-3, 2025

Derrickson Agricultural Complex - Morehead State University Morehead, Kentucky

Western Rivers - Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo June 13-14, 2025

William "Bill" Cherry Expo Center - Murray State University Murray, Kentucky

Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo
July 25-26, 2025

L.D. Brown Center - Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky


Premium Scale

These Premiums have been adjusted accordingly and could be changed due to available funds.

Sheep, Goat, and Swine

1.       KY Proud            Non KY Proud

2.        1st - $20              1st - $15

3.        2nd - $19            2nd - $13

4.        3rd - $18             3rd - $11

5.        4th - $17             4th - $9

6.        5th - $16             5th - $7

7.        6th - $15

8.        7th - $14

9.        8th - $13

10.    9th - $12

11.   10th - $11

 

General Rules & Regulations

Market Swine Show General Rules

1.       The show is open to all 4-H and FFA members engaged in an approved swine project within the state of Kentucky.

2.       All hogs must have an official ID and a certificate of veterinary inspection. All KY origin animals for exhibition shall be individually identified on a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI). At all KDA sponsored exhibitions, (District and Kentucky Junior Livestock Expos) a CVI (Certificate of Veterinary Inspection) must be obtained within the current calendar year: January 1st through December 31st. See general health requirements for more information.

3.       All 4-H, FFA, and NOVICE entries must be nominated and identified by the Kentucky Uniform Identification Program as of May 15th. See 4-H agent or vocational agriculture teacher for details. Co-tagging with KUIP tags will only be permitted among 4-H, FFA, and NOVICE siblings unless a waiver has been obtained. For tagging information visit Livestock ValidationForm & Tags - Kentucky State Fair

4.       A novice weight division (market hogs only) will be offered for exhibitors ages 8 years old and under as of January 1 of the current year. Each Novice is limited to one entry and must be KUIP tagged in his/her name.

5.       All hogs must be shown by the 4-H or FFA exhibitor (owner) unless the exhibitor is incapacitated (deprived of strength or ability: physically impaired) which should be made known to the show coordinator, or has more than one entry in a class, then he/she may have another 4-H or FFA youth exhibit his/her animal.

6.       There will be a market hog division and a commercial gilt division. Each animal may only be shown in one division, and must be determined at time of weigh-in.

7.       An exhibitor will be allowed to show a total of six entries, be it market hogs or commercial gilts. The weight determined at weigh-in will be used to enter each hog in the appropriate class. All hogs can only be shown once. Exhibitors MUST be present during the show for animal to be qualified and to receive premium.

8.       Market hogs will be shown by breed and weight. Maximum weight will be 280 pounds, with no lower weight limit.

9.       At least the top three placing market hogs in each class will be weighed by the Show Coordinator or their representative as the animal leaves the show-ring. Any market hog that weighs 15 pounds or over its declared weight will be disqualified. No premiums will be paid on disqualified animals and they will not be considered “qualified.”

10.   Registered classes will be offered for market hogs. Registration papers should be brought to weigh-in in order to show in registered breed classes. If an exhibitor has not received a registration paper, a written statement from the breeder or a bill of sale will suffice until the registration papers are received from the association.

11.   Each breed must have five (5) head to have a breed show. If five head cannot be met, hogs will be shown in the All Other Breeds (AOB) Division.

12.   Commercial gilts will be shown by weight with no weight limits. All commercial gilts must be KUIP tagged.

13.   4-H and FFA exhibitors will show together in all classes.

14.   Each exhibitor will be responsible for getting his or her pigs to the show ring.

15.   Barrows and gilts will be eligible to show. No boars. Any animal on-foot showing evidence of staginess, incomplete castration, late castration, crippling, or disease will be eliminated from the show.

16.   The local rules committee shall interpret all rules and shall have control of each animal entered for competition. The committee shall have the authority to rule on any question not covered in the rules and to transfer animals that have been improperly entered to the classes prior to judging.

17.   The local committee will exercise all reasonable precautions to prevent injuries or losses, but will not be responsible for mishaps, injuries, losses or deaths that may befall animals or people during this event.

18.   Exhibitor must furnish all feed and bedding for their hogs.

19.   All exhibitors will be responsible for leaving facilities as found by disposing of all trash, feed, bedding, etc.

20.   All commercial gilts must be KUIP tagged.

21.   To be eligible to compete at the Kentucky State Fair, all 4-H/FFA market hogs must compete in one of the District Shows or Kentucky Junior Livestock Expos conducted by the Division of Show & Fair Promotion. A hog will only qualify for the Kentucky State Fair if it has competed and been placed during a class at a District Show or Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo.

 

KY Classic Junior Breeding Gilt Show General Rules

1.       The show is open to all 4-H and FFA members engaged in an approved swine project within the state of Kentucky.

2.       All hogs must have an official ID and a certificate of veterinary inspection. All KY origin animals for exhibition shall be individually identified on a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI). At all KDA sponsored exhibitions, (District and Kentucky Junior Livestock Expos) a CVI (Certificate of Veterinary Inspection) must be obtained within the current calendar year: January 1st through December 31st. See general health requirements for more information.

3.       All 4-H, FFA, and NOVICE entries must be EITHER KUIP tagged at an approved validation site OR nominated using the breeding gilt nomination form as of June 1, 2025.

4.       Gilts are only eligible. NO BOARS OR BARROWS will be shown.

5.       A novice weight division will be offered for exhibitors ages 8 years old and under as of January 1 of the current year. Each Novice is limited to one entry.

6.       All hogs must be shown by the 4-H or FFA exhibitor (owner) unless the exhibitor is incapacitated (deprived of strength or ability: physically impaired) which should be made known to the show coordinator, or has more than one entry in a class, then he/she may have another 4-H or FFA youth exhibit his/her animal.

7.       An exhibitor will be allowed to show a total of six entries, be it breeding or commercial gilts. All hogs can only be shown once. Exhibitors MUST be present during the show for animal to be qualified and to receive premium.

8.       Exhibitors are limited to two (2) entries in each of the breeding gilt classes as explained in #9. For example, if you bring six Duroc gilts you can have two in Class A, two in Class B and two in Class C. You can have no more than two in each age class.


9.       Purebred Breeding Swine age classification for 2020:

Class A.                   December 1- December 31, 2024

Class B.                  January 1- January 31, 2025

Class C.                   February 1- February 29, 2025

Class D.                  March 1- March 31, 2025

10.   Each breed must have five (5) head to have a breed show. If five head cannot be met, hogs will be shown in the All Other Breeds (AOB) Division. Registered classes will be offered for all gilts. Registration papers should be brought to registration in order to show in registered breed classes.

11.   Depending on number of entries, age classes may be broken into heats at the discretion of the show committee.

12.   Commercial gilts will be shown by weight with no weight limits.

13.   4-H and FFA exhibitors will show together in all classes.

14.   Each exhibitor will be responsible for getting his or her pigs to the show ring.

15.   The local rules committee shall interpret all rules and shall have control of each animal entered for competition. The committee shall have the authority to rule on any question not covered in the rules and to transfer animals that have been improperly entered to the classes prior to judging.

16.   The local committee will exercise all reasonable precautions to prevent injuries or losses, but will not be responsible for mishaps, injuries, losses or deaths that may befall animals or people during this event.

17.   Exhibitor must furnish all feed and bedding for their hogs.

18.   All exhibitors will be responsible for leaving facilities as found by disposing of all trash, feed, bedding, etc.

 

SHOWMANSHIP CLASSES - AGE DETERMINED AS OF JANUARY 1

All 4-H and FFA members must show their own animals. Showmanship exhibitors must show in his/her age group for the entire show season. Showmanship classes will be broken into age divisions as follows:

Novice - Ages 8 years old and younger

Ages 9-11

Ages 12-13

Ages 14-16

Ages 17 and above


GENERAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

All KY origin animals for exhibition shall be individually identified on a certificate of veterinary inspection. At all KDA sponsored exhibitions, (District and Kentucky Junior Livestock Expos) a CVI (Certificate of Veterinary Inspection) must be obtained within the current calendar year: January 1st through December 31st. All animals will be inspected prior to unloading them. If there is any sign of illness in one of the pigs, all animals on the trailer will be asked to leave the show.


ADDITIONAL LINKS