Virtual Livestock Shows Taking Off

Numerous fairs and livestock exhibitions have been canceled this year due to COVID-19. Virtual shows; however, are taking off. Pork Checkoff manager of producer and state engagement John Heins says exhibitors are preparing short videos with their projects and are competing virtually.

“Participation in these shows across the nation has been record setting thus far. On average, several of these instances have had more than 1,500 entrees from coast-to-coast and it really gives the youth exhibitor the opportunity to showcase their projects, and to be able to work with and present those animals in a format in which they’re judged in a competition in the event that they were unfortunately not able to have a live youth livestock exhibition.”

Showing pigs as a young person has been a great way to begin a career in the swine industry. That can continue in this new online venue. There are a handful of options for virtual shows.

“The first that I would recommend people go to would be www.showpig.com. The second I would recommend would be www.thepigplanet.com. And then, there’s also two additional companies that have done a lot of work in hosting these virtual shows across the nation and are actually running them as a points series where if youth participate in all the shows, the have a chance to be kind of the points champion on that virtual show circuit, similar to what they would be able to if they were are able to show these animals at a live exhibition. Those two companies would be Walton Webcasting which is out of Indiana, and then The Backyard Bonanza which is based out of Arizona. And again, these shows are open to participants and youth all across the nation that want the opportunity to showcase their animals in a virtual format.”

Walton Webcasting is based in Walton, Indiana, and they’ve been very busy with these virtual shows. You can find out more about their involvement by visiting waltonwebcasting.com.

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