In preparation for the Lubbock County Junior Livestock Show, Ag Day Lubbock caught up with the kids of the Bourquin family who showed us exactly what goes in to showing their animals.
Although Colton and Payton have had many years of experience showing pigs, their sister Kiersten is in her inaugural year.
Competing to win is a familiar drill for the kids and this year's show with 450 exhibitors and more than 800 animals is no exception. Payton explained the process that he now knows so well.
"You walk in and the judge will give you a signal to let one pig in at a time," Payton said. "You'll be walking around and he'll look at you and if he really likes your pig he will point at you and you get to go to a pen and he'll bring you out later and you'll get placed."
The kids said spending time with the pigs is a must.
"When you first get them they are wild," Payton said. "You have to start petting them and getting used to them and they have to get used to you."
The pigs aren't any different than anyone else. They too love a sweet treat every now and then.
"When they are babies you have to go in the pen and feed them and they either like vanilla wafers or marshmallows," Kiersten said. "Ours like marshmallows."
It is all business for the Bourquins, and a hair cut before show day is a must.
"We take them to the clipping shoot and get their under belly, their tail and the more harder areas," Colton said.
Payton said he likes to compete because it teaches him valuable life lessons.
"It teaches you responsibility," Payton said. "It is a lot of fun and you get to work with animals."
All of the Bourquin kids hope to one day be judges of their own, but for now, they are enjoying being able to show.
