It’s all in the family

The Minnesota Spring Barrow Show doesn’t start until Friday, but exhibitors were busy weighing in their pigs Wednesday evening and this morning.

Gary Chicos was the first to have his 13 pigs weighed and put into pens.

Chicos brought the pigs in for his daughters, Toni, 18, and Sydney, 14. His daughters have been showing at the Spring Barrow Show for almost their whole lives. Chicos said his daughter Toni has been showing since she was at least 5 years old in the open class, and in the junior class once she was able to join FFA and 4-H. Her sister Sydney did the same.

Chicos, who is treasurer on the Spring Barrow Show board, has a farm near Alden where he raises show pigs with his wife, Mary, and daughters.

Chicos himself has been showing pigs for over 40 years, something that has run in the family, he said.

Show pigs differ from commercial pigs in that they’re usually wider and have more muscle expression, Chicos said.

“They have more structure than a commercial pig,” he said.

In addition to his farm, Chicos said he works for the Lukes Brothers swine producers and oversees their finishing barn.

As for how his daughters usually do at the show, Chicos said they do pretty decent. He said his daughters are competitive but there are also a lot of good pigs at the show.

He said it’s a good show that usually sees quite a few pigs — last year there were about 200 pigs.

The Minnesota Spring Barrow show is in its 71st year and weigh-ins began Wednesday. Weigh-ins wrap up today and the show judging begins on Friday.

Class judging starts at 8 a.m. Friday and goes until 3 p.m., when the sweepstakes winner will be selected.

 

What is a barrow?

A barrow is a male pig castrated before puberty. A pig castrated after reaching maturity is called a stag. A shoat is a young weaned pig of both sexes and a gilt is a sow that has never given birth.

 

Tentative Spring Barrow Show schedule

Friday

8-9:30 a.m.: Junior pen of three

8-9 a.m.: Registration for judging contest

9:30-11 a.m.: Judging contest

11-11:15 a.m.: Open youth class

11:15 a.m.-1 p.m.: Junior individuals

1-2 p.m.: Junior derby barrows

2 p.m.: Judging contest award

2:15-2:45 p.m.: Truck lots

2:45-3 p.m.: Open individuals

3 p.m.: Selection of sweepstakes winner

7 p.m.: Annual donor rib banquet, Wedgewood Cove

 

• Friday’s show announcer will be Kendall Langseth and the judge will be Matt Wolfe.

• Selection of champions follows each division.

• All times are approximate, depending on the number of entries.