These are the award winners from the 2010 Minnesota State Spring Barrow Show.

Sweepstakes winner: Zack Williamson.

 Junior Premier Exhibitor: Rachel Holst.

Premier Exhibitors: Champion, St. Ansgar; reserve, Freeborn County 4-H.

Junior Derby: Champion and reserve, Rachel Holst.

Junior Derby Rate of Gain: Champion and reserve, Rachel Holst.

Junior Pen: Champion, Jacob Ihnen; reserve, Chelsea Keninger.

Junior Barrow: Champion, Zack Williamson; reserve, T.J. Hanson.

Junior Gilt: Champion, Halle Jo Johnson; reserve, Nicole Johnson.

 Trucklot: Champion, Toni Chicos; reserve, Jud Thorson.

Open Barrow: Champion, Keninger family; reserve, Julie Vorpagel.

Open Gilt: Champion and reserve, Ken Wiebbecke.

Junior Individual Judge: Champion, Karl Constantino; reserve, Willie Weis.

Junior Judging Team: Champion, St. Ansgar No. 1; reserve, Glenville No. 4.

Adult Individual Judge: Champion, Dan Fox; reserve, Jerry Bisbee.

Adult Judging Team: Champion, University of Minnesota Block & Bridle No. 2; reserve, Steele/Mattson.

Kaylee Wendt patiently waited with the hog in the holding pen.

As the gate opened, hers was the first pig out. She moved it around the show ring, watchful of other kids and pigs.

Slowly, the judge walking around the ring gave the kids instructions. Some were to move their pigs out of the ring altogether. Others were to put their pigs in specific numbered pens.

Kaylee was instructed to put hers into pen 8.

That meant an eighth-place finish for the 9-year-old from Eyota.

“It was fun,” she said.

She took part in Class 9 of the junior individual contest, which was for pigs weighing between 293 and 326 pounds.

Friday was the first time Kaylee had shown hogs at the Minnesota State Spring Barrow Show at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds in Albert Lea. She showed some hogs last summer at the Freeborn County Fair and sheep and horses at the Olmsted County Fair. But one might say showing hogs goes back much further than that. It’s in her blood.

Her grandfather, Gordon Toenges, has been involved with the Barrow Show for more than 30 years, with more than 20 of them as co-show manager.

Kaylee’s mom, Kari, and her two sisters, Katie and Kris, all showed at the fair and the Barrow Show. And now the third generation of the family is active showing hogs.

The hog Kaylee showed Friday actually came from her uncle, Luke Nielsen’s farm. Luke is married to Katie, and he picked the cross-bred hog out for Kaylee.

“It was a good pig,” he said of the choice.

Kaylee helped brush and clip it before the show.

Luke and Katie’s son, Alex, who is 4, showed for his second year on Friday. He participated in a new class this year just for exhibitors younger than second grade.

Luke said his son walks hogs around in the summer time and helps feed them. He was up at 5 a.m. Friday, ready to come to the show.

Luke also showed hogs at the Minnesota State Spring Barrow Show and at fairs since he was about 5 years old up until just a couple years ago. “Now I let the kids show,” he said. The Nielsens also have a daughter, Lindsey, who is 1 year old.

Over the years, Luke said he’s enjoyed getting to see the same people and families at the event year after year.

“It’s been a part of life. When you raise pigs, you show pigs,” Luke said. “It’s a change of pace.”

Luke said his brother, Matt Nielsen, takes care of the show pigs on the farm and works with Alex.

Kaylee’s aunt, Kris Christensen, said she always looked forward to getting out of school to attend the show when she was growing up.

“I looked forward to getting out and having a good time and the competition — seeing who was going to win,” she said.

Now she and her husband, Shane, raise hogs for Kiven Lukes. They had show pigs on their farm this year and also had kids showing.

“It seemed like a good time to get the kids started,” she said.

There were 196 hogs and 74 exhibitors at the 66th Minnesota State Spring Barrow Show.

Kaylee said she was happy with her first try, and plans to come back again next year.

“We’re going to show pigs all summer, aren’t we, Kaylee?” Grandpa Gordon said.