By Grey Backus
While many of his peers venture out for vacations or sports, sophomore Brody Adams travels to pursue his unusual hobby.
“I’ve shown all around Indiana, in the Midwest, I showed in Ohio, I showed in Oklahoma,” Brody said.
In middle February Brody was supposed to go to Georgia but could not attend the trip due to a minor knee surgery.
From the Delaware County 4-H Fair to nationals, Brody shows pigs. In just two years he has worked his way up to placing third at the Team Purebred Southwest Throwdown in Oklahoma.
Brody shows Tamworths, a goldish brown pig. They are usually around 300 pounds when Brody shows them and about six to seven months old.
He has a history in showing animals. He showed rabbits and a dairy calf when he was in kindergarten, then moved up to showing goats in the third grade, to now showing pigs.
A family friend asked Brody to show pigs after watching him win a goat show.
He took the opportunity and is now placing high in national shows. Few people see the hard work and dedication Brody puts in behind the barn walls.
He has to work on getting them to walk at a good pace and keep their head up the whole time. He also has to feed them, buy food, and condition and cut their hair.
“I’m very proud of him. It takes a lot of dedication,” says Tim Adams, Brody’s father. ”He has had to give up lots of time with friends to go work and care for his pigs.”
When the pig show comes up it’s not immediately show time. Right before his show he’s giving his pig as much water and food as it will take so it fills out nicely.
Once the show starts he is only showing the pig for about eight minutes.
“It’s stressful at the beginning, but after I go in I feel better,” Brody says.
If he places well he will get a cash prize, which most of the time he invests back into helping the pigs.
Another show Brody is looking forward to is The Exposition in middle June.
This show is usually held in Iowa but will be at the Indiana State Fairgrounds this year.
The Exposition would be the biggest show yet for Brody, This means he will have to bring his best skills to place above the competition.
He will be showing two Barrow Tamworths and two crossbreeds but is stronger in the Tamworth section.
“I would be very happy to place top five with a Tamworth, but going far with crossbreeds would be awesome,” Brody says.
