Houston Thoughts

Well after spending 3 days in Houston, I am back in Iowa.  Nice feeling to be home with your family again.  If you have never been to the HLSR, make it a need to do trip sometime in your life time.  I have never expereinced an atmosphere like the one in Houston.  The show it self is ran the best I have ever seen....they sure can move through alot of hogs efficently.  I enjoyed the southern hospitality as usual and enjoyed visiting with the many breeders that you dont get to talk to everyday.  As far as the hog show goes, it was interesting.  The was one specific group of people that just decided to put a serious wooping on them.  And if you check it out you will find what I mean.  So I have been asked my thoughts on why they did so well.  First, I would say they probably started with good stock....and they probably didnt look like they were ready to show the day they bought them.  Second, I am assuming that they didnt over think things and mess em up.  They probably just let them grow and be fine swine for awhile and when the time had come to get going, they went. Third, it appeared that the kids and folks associated with the stock had put alot of hours into what they were doing.  Those barrows were clean, hair was natural, well groomed, color of the animals were what they were supposed to look like and did i mention those kids seperated themselves in my mind with their showmanship.  THOSE KIDS COULD DRIVE ONE ANYWHERE...  Fourth, I would also say those things were in shape cause they could go all day.      Last,  they were FRESH...

 As for the stock in general at the HLSR, I would say that balance and correct structure would pretty much get you to the top of your class after the sift pen.  Hogs that were balanced, had there feet going in the right direction, had enough muscle and looked like a show hog.  To many of these things are tracking outside of their bodieds.  To many of these barrows need to be squared up @ their knee.  Some would say that is being over critical but having the most positives will always seperate the men from the boys.  No, there was not a specific genetic line that just dominated, however the grand and res. barrows did have sires that originated from the same breeder.  Interesting!!!

p.s. sorry for spelling errors  spell check not working:)