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Highlands Today

Saturday's Important Moment: Hog Weigh-In

Gary Pinnell/Highlands Today

Anthony Hargaden and Bethany Alcordo listened as the weights of their pigs are called out Saturday morning at the Highlands County Fair.

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By Gary Pinnell | Highlands Today

Published: February 10, 2008

SEBRING — The pickup truck backed up, the gate swung open, and three hogs were released from a trailer.

One by one, they cross the scales. "Two hundred and thirty-eight pounds," came a voice from inside the livestock barn.

Whoops went up. Anthony Hargaden smiled.

"It was the pie!" shouted his mother, Allison Hargaden.

Indeed, it was two pies, and a bottle of water.

At the fair, just as in a championship boxing match, the contestants must make weight. Pigs can come in at no less than 230 pounds, and no more than 300. Anthony's swine weighed 238 at 9 a.m. Saturday, but it was a couple of pounds shy yesterday. So before this little piggy went to market, the Hargadens went to the grocery store, and somebody pigged out last night. And Anthony bottle-fed a couple of pounds of water on Saturday.

Beside Anthony, a freshman, was Maxine Copely. Maxine is a Sebring High School junior. She's showing JLo, a 266-pound pig whose hair is even whiter than Maxine's.

"This is my first time," she said.

Is it fun? The answer was affirmative, but it didn't sound much like a yes.

"I wake up at 6 a.m. and feed it, and after school I come home and clean the cage, feed it again, and walk it."

"With a cane," said Anthony. This wasn't his first livestock show.

The pigs are shaved before the show, and sprayed with a substance that makes them shine. Why? So the judges can better observe the muscle underlying the pigskin.

So why does Maxine do it?

"For the money," Anthony interrupted. Last year, when his pig sold, he raised about $1,000 for his college education.

And when they sell their animals, are there tears? Mom said yes, but Anthony wouldn't cop to that, Maxine and Bethany Alcordo would. Bethany is an 8th-grader at Sebring Middle School, whose swine is the tragically named Hamlet.

The fair continues today at Firemen's Field with swine, steers, heifers, poultry and rabbits. A hypnotist show is at 4, 6 and 8 p.m., Masters of the Chainsaw perform on the midway from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Quickfire plays at 4, 6 and 8 p.m., and a kid's show is at 5:30, 6:30 and 8:30.

This Saturday is the last day.

More info: http://www.hcfair.net

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