Livestock competition at the 150th Colorado State Fair
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The livestock competition at the Colorado State Fair is not only a way to celebrate our heritage it is also the biggest stage of the year for kids in 4H, FFA, and other groups.
Riley Spurlock is a Falcon High Schooler competing this year. This is her 7th year in 4H. The swine competition has become her specialty.
"I don't know, pigs just hit me really hard. I've shown goats. I've shown sheep, the pigs are just different. It just makes me happy."
Her pigs, Belle and Augustine, are bathed, fed a precise mix of protein and fat, conditioned and brushed, and walked at least twice a day to prepare for show day.
Raising an animal also teaches kids about responsibility, time management, record keeping, and more.
Jonathan Vrabec oversees the 4H program in El Paso County.
"That's what puts the fuel in the tank to go to work a lot of time. I'm at the point where there are kids in our 4H program that the parents were kids when I started, and so I'm seeing my kids' kids in the 4H program, which is really great. and I call them my kids because those are kids that I got a little piece in watching them grow up," Vrabec says.
Part of this is learning what the judges look for. Riley, who scored top honors at the county fair in July, says, "They look for muscling, they look for a nice top line."
Riley is back at the State Fair for a second time.
"It was super fun, super chill, super easy going. the people there were just fantastic and super nice, willing to help."
Her goal this year was to make it past the first round and she did.
"She's always focused to do her best no matter it is, and that makes me very proud to be a dad," says Bill Spurlock, Riley's dad.
Riley plans to return in 2023 regardless of how her hogs score this year. If Riley doesn't make the sale at the state fair, she plans to bring belle home, breed her, and use the new pigs at the state fair next summer.
4H is now way more than just animals and crops. It's robotics and rockets and backpacking. For more information on 4H, click here.
