A green and blue Showpig.com t-shirt. That's all it took to inspire a love for the show pig industry that has spanned for over half of Grace Ahrens' life. The team at Showpig.com was proud to host Grace as one of the 2024 summer interns. From attending events to learning the ropes, our summer internships provide a unique look at what happens in the show pig industry and community. Learn about Grace's journey and internship experience here on The Block!

Once your pig’s basic requirements are met, how do you make adjustments to key nutrients that translate to improved performance and show composition? With PROTEIN, FAT and FIBER. By focusing on and altering these three nutrients through complete feed selection and supplementation, one can help fine tune their showpig to hit the ring on the right foot come their target show. In this next installment of the Feeding Showpigs series, we will take a closer look at what crude protein, fat and fiber do and how they can be added or adjusted through the feeding cycle to achieve your desired goals. Let’s get started!  

Organizing sale events is a major undertaking. However, if you’re operating close to other producers, why not consider coordinating sale dates with them? This approach can help maximize the resources available to all involved, creating smoother and more profitable events. Here are some of the advantages of coordinating sale dates with operations that are geographically close, plus practical tips to make it a success!

When hosting a sale, there are a lot of things to consider and understanding the pros and cons of online sales versus live sales can sometimes be challenging. No matter the direction you choose to go, Showpig.com is here to provide you with the tools to succeed. Our team of talented staff members have created the ultimate checklists for either sale type!

There are so many details that go into achieving success in the ring. Genetics, selection, management, healthy environment, feed, and daily care… but maybe the most important is nutrition. As a beginner, it is a great practice to understand the basic nutritional elements your pig requires and why they require them. In part two of our Feeding Showpigs series - we will dive into the 6 basic nutrient requirements of pigs, what the nutrients are, what each does and how you can use this knowledge to properly read a feed tag and understand what you’re putting into your project! Let’s dig in!

For those show pig sellers ready to make a BIG splash but maybe don't have the numbers to host an online sale by themselves... we give you, The Debut! This one of kind consignment sale opportunity for those who are just at the start of their show pig selling journey. Check out this auctions sellers, Webster Show Stock and H4 Showpigs, with a video and Q&A!

It wouldn't be Pork Month without a good pork recipe! The ladies at #showpig have compiled a list of their favorite pork recipes for you to try this season! Save the pictures, screenshot the recipes or view them all here on The Block!

“Raising livestock comes with many obstacles and unseen outcomes that we cannot always predict. When those tough times tend to happen, we try our best to maintain a positive mindset. I truly believe our entire family has been influential to our operation and our mentality through highs and lows." It is a family affair at Schwecke Genetics and we are proud to highlight their success in our latest #HowTheyWork! We sat down to learn all about what started as a two man operation, managed by Zach Schwecke and his father Randy, and how it has grown into a 250 head sow farm, requiring the hiring of an additional hand and full family involvement!

With a variety of feed companies, numerous different products, and countless feed supplements on the market, sometimes knowing how and what to feed your show pig can be confusing and frankly, daunting. The team at Showpig understands that sometimes we all just need to go back to the basics in understanding swine nutrition and health, so that's exactly what we did with our latest blog - Feeding Showpigs 101. With the assistance of K-State Professor and Swine Nutritionist, Dr. Joel DeRouchey, we will break down how to properly start, feed and maintain your show pig project over the next few months in this ongoing blog series!

In a move that is poised to take strides towards bridging the gap between diverse stakeholders within the pork industry, Jesse Heimer—a recognized figure within the show pig community—has been recently appointed to the National Pork Board (NPB). This pivotal appointment marks a significant step toward a greater alignment and understanding between the show pig and commercial segments of the industry. Read more about the process and the impact Heimer will have in the fight to bridge the gap between all facets of our swine industry.

At Showpig, we understand the ever-evolving landscape of the show pig industry. In response to your needs and requests, we are thrilled to introduce our new Sales Advisor Team. This dedicated team is here to provide you with expert guidance and customized solutions to help grow your business. We look forward to partnering with you and enhancing our services to support your success. At Showpig, your best interests as a business owner are always at the heart of what we do.

Showmanship. As an exhibitor, it is the one time you will step into the ring where the only thing that matters is your talent and your ability. So what makes a good showman? Showmanship judge Emily Miller was kind enough to give us a rundown of her personal Showmanship Do's for the next time you step into the ring. Whether you are just starting out or the most seasoned showman, find helpful showmanship reminders from a nationally recognized evaluator.

Buying livestock online can be daunting and somewhat overwhelming if it’s not something you have a lot of experience doing. Follow these tips to avoid making these common mistakes and make the best of buying online.

“There will always be people who are bigger and smarter than you. Do not be discouraged by that. Rather, put on your boots and go to work. Work hard and never stop learning.” Great advice from a young, up and coming showpig operation! In the August edition of #HowTheyWork, we sat down with self proclaimed "pig nerd", Noa Taipin, to learn all about Taipin Showpigs. Noa and his family have a commitment to helping youth on the west coast and beyond succeed in and out of the show ring!

Though crucial for success, navigating effective marketing can prove challenging without prior expertise. Fortunately, Roach Livestock found the solution in Showpig.com. From participating in Showpig's "The Debut" sales, to hosting their first online auctions, this is a story of building, growing and succeeding on the Showpig platform. This case study dives into the partnership between Roach Livestock and the Showpig.com platform, illustrating how exposure to our expansive audience and adoption of innovative marketing strategies led to remarkable success. 

“I got my start in the show pig industry when I was 9 years old after my Dad bought me a few sows, whose offspring I competed with at the county fair. When I first started in this industry, my main goal was to win my county fair and produce boars. As I've grown older, my goals have evolved. While I still aim to win as much as possible, I now also focus on targeting and succeeding at different shows across the country.” A perfect blend of competitive spirit with a love for the show pig industry, our latest #HowTheyWork article comes from Seth Keplinger, of Keplinger Farms.

For many Americans, the Fourth of July means early afternoon BBQs with friends and family that turn into watching fireworks light up the sky much past their bedtime. But in our industry, it is common that the Fourth of July is accompanied by the sound of gates closing and pigs squealing, while the smell of sawdust is stronger than the smell of any hotdog. We know those celebrating the holiday from the NJSA National Junior Summer Spectacular (NJSS) may be too busy to think about where to catch some fireworks after the show is over, so we compiled 5 local firework shows that are a short distance from the fairgrounds. Take a look!

“Our goal since day one still remains the same… we want to see families united, and families reach their goals together.” Fueled by faith, show pigs and a commitment to the youth industry, we sat down with the family members of Danner Livestock to learn more about #HowTheyWork. Dive into the day to day, the achievements, the struggles and the goals of a prolific show pig operation.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to pull off the national and regional shows we all love to attend? A big part of the success can be accredited to the junior board members who serve the National Junior Swine Association and Team Purebred! Showpig.com had the privilege to sit down and talk with NJSA Junior Board President, Paige Vierra, and Team Purebred Junior Board President, Grayson Tedrow, to learn more about the amazing work both junior organizations put into our youth and youth events. Learn more about the day in the life of a junior board member here!

Do you need help packing for your next show? If you're getting ready to leave for The Exposition, or any other show this summer, but struggling with what all to pack for the week, this blog is just for you! We know that packing for a national show can be a daunting task, especially when preparing for the whole family. Having traveled the country showing pigs for 15 years, the Sponcil family from Greenfield, Ohio, has some great tips so you don’t forget a thing!

Join the Showpig team in welcoming our 2024 summer interns! We are proud to have Abi Lilliard of Abilene, Kansas, Kiley Allen of Le Mars, Iowa, and Grace Ahrens of Canal Winchester, Ohio, serving the Showpig.com Marketing & Events team.

It’s that time of the year. You have spent hours searching, traveling, and bidding on show pigs in the hopes of finding “The One” and now your set is in your barn, and the real fun begins. You want to give your new show projects the best chance to succeed you can. We sat down with Travis Platt of Platt Showpigs to get his top 10 tips on what to do when you get your new show pigs home. Read below to set yourself up for success this show season!

As show pig producers and exhibitors, loading the trailer and driving to a show is natural. Thousands of pigs are transported daily across the country and even worldwide. While husbandry and health are top of mind when these animals are in motion, the word ‘traceability’ is probably not.

Contrary to much noise you may hear in the marketplace, Showpig.com hosted the first-ever online livestock auction on March 21, 2004. In the 20 years since that first auction, we have seen many different styles and types of sellers succeed, and some struggle to gain footing. We’ve studied the best so you don’t have to, and here are 20 of their most common behaviors.

Selling online gives an operation more visibility and access to a customer base that is almost impossible to reach otherwise. Selling online, especially to those just starting out, can be daunting. Sometimes an operation wants to learn the ropes of selling online before diving in, or they may simply just have a few pigs they want to sell and don’t want to host an online auction, so Showpig.com found a solution.