Showing pigs is something that’s been in their blood for generations.

But after watching the kids, parents and volunteers weigh in their pigs at the 65th annual Minnesota State Spring Barrow Show on Thursday, it was clear it is much more than just a family hobby. It’s a sport they take pride in.

During what was the second day of the official weigh-in of the show, kids and parents brought dozens of swine to the Freeborn County Fairgrounds.

Daryl Mattson, president of the show’s board of directors, said about 120 pigs were weighed Wednesday, and he was expecting at least that same amount by the time weighing was completed Thursday. That would make for about 90 exhibitors or 240 pigs in the show this year, he said.

The competition part of the show is today.

Pigs compete in such categories as individual, pen of three and derby, and are judged based on their body composition, movement or rate of gain in relation to the profit they would bring at market.

The show is an opportunity for participants to not only showcase their hard work but to also enjoy some camaraderie under a similar interest.

Primarily 4-H and Future Farmers of America students participate.

One participant, Luke Nielsen, was in the swine barn during the weigh-in Thursday morning with his 3-year-old son, Alex. It was Alex’s first time showing a pig in the Barrow Show.

The family, which is from between Albert Lea and Hayward, participate because it’s a family affair, Luke said.

“I did it and my dad did it, and it’s just in the family,” Luke said. Alex “likes it. He likes going out and doing chores with me in the mornings.”

The boy showed his first pig during the Freeborn County Fair this summer.

Also in the swine barn Thursday morning was Barb Meitner, of St. Ansgar, Iowa, who was taking care of some pigs her daughter and grandson are showing.

Meitner said her family got involved with showing pigs after her son, Brandon, started showing them in 1996.

“We’ve probably had somebody up here ever since,” she said. “We’ve always raised pigs. Our son just got interested in showing them when he was in high school.”

Kids who are involved in showing pigs through FFA or 4-H learn to take on responsibilities such as feeding and watering them, loading them up on a truck to come to the show and taking care of them once their here.

This year, her daughter, Hailey, 14, was entering four pigs, and her grandson, Reece, was entering two, Meitner said. Hailey started showing when she was 5.

“I don’t know why, she’s just always liked it,” she said.

The family also has some feeder cattle and sheep.

Minnesota State Spring Barrow Show

Where: Freeborn County Fairgrounds

Today’s schedule:

7:30 to 9:30 a.m.: judging of junior pens of three

8 to 9 a.m.: registration for judging contest

9:30 to 11 a.m.: judging contest

11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.: judging of junior individuals

1:15 to 2 p.m.: judging of junior derby barrows

2 p.m.: judging contest awards

2:15 to 3 p.m.: judging of truck lots

3 to 4 p.m.: judging of open individuals

4 p.m.: selection of sweepstakes winner

7:30 p.m.: annual donor rib banquet at the Elks Club, Albert Lea

Though the Barrow Show is a contest with participants vying for first, second and third place, it is also a lesson in teamwork. Kids arrive separately and corral their pigs separately, but in between the shows students all work together to get the pigs where they need to go and make sure things stay on track.

To compete in the correct class, pigs have to be weighed, tagged and marked with the correct number. Students, volunteers and parents work together to get the pigs through the gate and into a holding pen to pierce the ear with the tag. The pig then gets coerced onto the steel cage scale, where it is weighed and recorded. On its way off the scale each pig is stamped with an identification number.

Mattson said St. Ansgar, Iowa, had the most participants this year, but overall, the number of participants goes down a little every year.