SWINE

    The Kentucky Department of Agriculture Swine Program holds many opportunities for youth participants to show their livestock across the state. With six District Swine 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 Junior Livestock Expos & Kentucky State Fair. Exhibitors also accumulate points throughout the show season in competition, and the results are presented at the KY Youth Livestock Points Banquet at the conclusion of the season.

    DISTRICT swine SHOWS

    Click here for all Swine Show Dates, Locations and Times

    NOTE: 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 Branch of Show & Fair Promotion. A hog will only qualify for the Kentucky State Fair if it has competed and been placed during a swine class at a District Show or Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo. All hogs must be validated.

    SWINE SHOW Rules & Regulations

    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 (both barrows and gilts) 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 identified by the Kentucky Uniform Identification Program (KUIP) as of May 14th. 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.
    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 breeding 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. Exhibitors MUST be present during the show for animal to be qualified and to receive premium.
    8. 4-H and FFA exhibitors will show together in all classes.
    9. Each exhibitor will be responsible for getting his or her pigs to the show ring.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. Exhibitor must furnish all feed and bedding for their hogs.
    14. All exhibitors will be responsible for leaving facilities as found by disposing of all trash, feed, bedding, etc.

    MARKET HOG DIVISION RULES

    1.  Market hogs will be shown by breed and weight. Maximum weight will be 280 pounds, with no lower weight limit.
    2.  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.”
    3.  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.
    4.  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.
    5. 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 Shows & Fair Branch. A hog will only qualify for the Kentucky State Fair if it has competed and been placed during a weight class at a District Show or Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo.

    BREEDING GILT DIVISION RULES

    1.   All gilts must be KUIP tagged.
    2. Gilts may only be shown once in either the market hog division OR the breeding classes.
    3. *NEW for 2026* Registered classes will be offered for gilts. Registration papers should be brought to check-in in order to show in a registered breed class or they will show in the crossbred 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.
    4. Each registered breed must have five (5) head to have a breed show. If five (5) head cannot be met, gilts will be shown in the All Other Breeds (AOB) Division.
    5. All gilts, both registered and crossbred, will be shown by weight, with no weight limits.
    6. At least the top three placing breeding gilts in each class will be weighed by the Show Coordinator or their representative as the animal leaves the show-ring at District Shows. Any gilt 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".

    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:

    Ages 17 and above

    Ages 14-16

    Ages 12-13

    Ages 9-11

    Novice - Ages 8 years old and younger

    PREMIUM SCALE

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

    Sheep, Goat and Swine

    KY Proud

    Non KY Proud

    1st.......$20

    1st......$15

    2nd......$19

    2nd.....$13

    3rd.......$18

    3rd.....$11

    4th.......$17

    4th......$9

    5th.......$16

    5th......$7

    6th.......$15

     

    7th.......$14

     

    8th.......$13

     

    9th.......$12

     

    10th.....$11

     


    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