DlO—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 15,1983
BY DICK ANGLESTEIN
FARM SHOW Breeders and on
lookers at the Bred Gilt Show in the
Small Arena on Saturday were
treated to some of the best looking
breeding swine that came across
Farm Show tanbark in several
years and also to a continuing
swine sermon by Judge Clyde
Shaffer on the value of purebreds
over crossbreds.
Probably the largest Duroc
breeder in the nation, selling some
600 commercial boars a year,
Shaffer again and again firmly
stated his position on the use of
purebred boars vs. crossbreds in
commercial operations.
Some of his comments in
terspersed between classes during
the judging:
- “The guys promoting these
crossbreds are just conglomerates
who are paying University people
to write articles on how the
Darren Grumbine, 7, son of Dennis Grumgine, Myerstown,
Russel Kegg, R 1 Bedford, with his grand champion, left,
and reserve grand champion Spotted Swine.
is is a. ’s eye view of the judge, center, during bred gilt competition in the Small
Arena at Farm Show. . .
Judge picks top Farm Show gilts ...
crossbred boars mean more pigs in
the litters.
-“These crossbred guys wear
cowboy boots and hats and smoke
big fat cigars and could care less
about the purbred swine industry.
-“I like to see swine that look
like gilts. You have these other
judges who pull their pants up over
their bellies and like gilts with big
ears and heads that look just like
boars.
'-“If any of you purebred people
are raising crossbred boars. I’m
ashamed of you. You’re a failure
as a purebred breeder.
-“And if any of you don’t like my
comments or my selections and
you want to whup me later, we can
go out in the barn and get it on
after the show.”
And between the comments,
Shaffer picked the winners in the
eight breed classes, stressing
Clyde Shaffer 1 , left, breeding swine judge from Albany, Ind., checks entrance of bred
gilts into show ring as they walk across stretch of concrete. This phase of juding
mobility on concrete was a new phase of breeding swine competition at 1983 Farm
Show.
Dennis Grumbine, center, Myerstown Berkshire breeder and president of the Penn
sylvania Cooperative Swine Breeders Association, receives Nittany Uon statue from
Penn State Afghan Sam Smith forhis work on behaifbfthe Ag Arena. At right is State
AgSec. Penrose Hallowed.
mobility as the number one
priority.
“If hogs can’t get around,
they’re not worth anything,” he
said time and again.
And to better judge mobility, the
Bred Gilt Show put a new wrinkle
into the judging. As the gilts en
tered the small arena, they crossed
a cleared section of concrete and on concrete.”
Shaffer evaluated each as it And more than one of the entries
walked by. was scored heavily one way or the
“It’s like you walking barefoot other, depending on those first few
on gravel and then on soft sand," steps into the ring across the
Shaffer explained. concrete.
"Any of these pigs can walk out And here are the top winners in
there on the tanbark, but you must the various breeds:
be able to see how they get around (Turn to Page Dll)
Tim Heagy, left, and Leon Arnold, Lebanon County, with
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