We already have a star pupil.Harry my ten year old grandson won a large shield emblazoned with a small Saddleback pig for winning the young handlers class at the recent Penistone show in Yorkshire.
After the rigors of Westmorland County Show it was very relaxing for me to be the pen man preparing the Oxford Sandy and Black pigs together with the British Saddleback pigs for the two lads to show.Harry was accompanied by Dylls his best friend,both of whom have spent most of the spring and summer Saturday mornings training their pigs.
What a great job they did of showing the pigs in the pedigree classes.Harry’s own Oxford Sandy and Black July gilt was the best rare breed pig at the show as the champion was a Hampshire pig and the reserve a massive Large White .Dylls was even runner up in the young handlers class and so nearly pipped Harry.
The most recent pigkeeping course in September was a total sell out as we don’t take more than 12 people on the pigkeeping course.The recent torrential rain has turned the pig pens housing the Saddleback pigs into mud baths and I really need to try to house them shortly.
Harry’s July gilt OSAB is due to farrow and is already a day or two overdue,with Imogen’s July gilt due in a couple of weeks.These last two weeks have seen the first OSAB pigs heading to the butchers,some 10-15kilo lighter than their Saddleback counterparts.It has been very interesting having Saddlebacks ,Lops and OSAB growing pigs all running together outside together in the same pens.The opportunity to compare growth rates ,food conversion,and carcass quality has thrown up some interesting results for these bought in weaners.
Currently I have some Berkshire,Welsh,Saddleback.Hampshire,and Lop pigs in the finishing unit.I hope its going to be a busy Autumn for the 3 butchers I supply.
Next year we are introducing a new pigkeeping course ‘Selecting ,training your pig for show together with preparing yourself for the show ring’.
This will be a weekend course at the end of March 2011.Steve Richardson an experienced breeder,judge and exhibitor of Large Black and Middle White pigs will be joining myself and Carole to offer the most comprehensive course of this nature.
I’m sure we will all learn lots especially what a judge is looking for in the show ring which relates directly to breeding correct pigs.This entire weekend is based on increasing your pig breeding skills as well as giving you the benefit of all experience of years of showing pigs from Carole.Steve,and John.
You will leave with total confidence to breed better pigs and the ability to win prizes in the show ring.We are condencing over 30 years of breeding and showing knowledge into a weekend.
Weather you are just thinking of exhibiting pigs for the first time[being a total novice in the show ring] or are wondering why you are not winning rosettes in the ring,or just want to breed and handle pigs more successfully,THIS WEEKEND IS FOR YOU.
Places are limited to a dozen people and we already have 4 bookings so if you intend to join us on this unique opportunity please book soon. Full details are on our dedicated page on this site.
John
