Purchasing pedigreed showpigs has some perks of special classes and sometimes sponsored breed prizes, but this comes with a little paperwork. National Swine Registry’s Eastern Field Representative Blaine Evans offers his tips and tricks to make sure your pedigreed paperwork will be perfect for show day.

• Before purchasing any purebred showpig, check the breed and registration requirements. Many breeds have exhibition requirements on underlines, coloring and stress status. These can be found at the National Swine Registry’s breed eligibility page,  Certified Pedigreed Swine’s website, and the American Berkshire Association’s Breed Requirements page.

• Know the age you need for the shows you are going to. Many pedigreed hog shows and their classes are based upon age rather than weight. Check your show rules to learn if there are farrowing date cutoffs with that exhibition.

• Provide the breeder with a valid name, address, phone number and contact information. This will ensure the breeder has a copy of it at the time of the sale, and can get your pedigrees to you in a timely manner.

• Read your show rules so you are aware of any pedigree transfer dates and requirements. If your show does have transfer deadlines, communicate those to the breeder at the time of purchase.

• Check with your show to learn what ownership names are acceptable on pedigrees. Some shows can have family and farm names, while others can only have each individual exhibitor’s names. As the buyer of the pig, it’s your job to check the rules and alert the breeder of any naming rules.

• Alert the breeder if you plan on exhibiting this pig at any early shows, such as jackpots or preview shows. Many shows will not accept emailed, faxed or scanned copies of the pedigree so you will need to have it transferred in time to receive it in the mail before the event.

• Check your pedigree when it arrives in the mail. Review the ownership name to ensure it meets your show requirements and is spelled correctly. Also, check that your transfer and ownership dates are correct. Finally, make sure the pedigree, ear notch and farrowing date are the same as you expected. If you realize a mistake at a show, it will be too late.

• After you receive and review your pedigree, text your breeder to let them know that you received your pedigrees and everything is OK. This also opens a line of communication and builds a positive relationship between the breeder and buyer.

Purebred showstock comes with more paperwork, but with breeder/buyer communication, those pedigrees also come with perks.