If you’re heading to the Johnson County 4-H and Agricultural Fair this week, don’t be surprised if you see this year’s fair queen spending quite a bit of time in the hog barn!
“I feel like I’m going to be smiling for the next year of my life,” said Grace McCarty of Greenwood shortly after she was crowned the 2022 Johnson County Fair Queen on Sunday evening.
In addition to wearing a tiara and sash all this week at the fairgrounds in Franklin, Grace will also be wearing jeans and boots as a nine-year member of 4-H.
“I have two spot pigs here. I have a barrow and gilt [named] Wilbur and Bubbles,” said Grace. “They’re big pigs. They’re around 250 [pounds]. They take a lot of hard work and responsibility, so you have to be there every single day. You have to feed them every single day – twice a day, and you have to walk them when they start getting bigger, so it’s been a big commitment.”
Grace said she’s grown quite attached to Wilbur and Bubbles.
“It’s really hard for me to let go of them and I don’t know how Friday night’s going to go after the auction, but I have so much love for them.”
Grace plans to put her experience raising pigs to good use as part of her career. After she graduates next spring from Center Grove High School, she plans to study animal science at Liberty University.
Grace says her best advice for kids in 4-H wanting to raise and show livestock is to stay focused every day and not give up.
“Just stay committed. It’s really rewarding when you get in that arena and have the adrenaline rush. I think that it just pays off. Your hard work and your love for those animals is really important,” she said.
Now that Grace is having to represent the fair as the 2022 Miss Johnson County queen this week, she says she’ll be leaning on her brother Zach to help make sure Wilbur and Bubbles are well taken care of.
“I’m going to be a very busy girl this week, but I think that I can keep it all together,” Grace said. “I have a really great family who is my support system who will help me show the pigs to my best ability.”
Click BELOW to hear C.J. Miller’s news story on 2022 Johnson County Fair Queen Grace McCarty and how she plans to juggle her queen duties this week at the fair with showing pigs and being a nine-year member of 4-H.
