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Seminole 4-H kids show their work at South Florida Fair

Koty Gopher-Turtle, left, and Khoal Cochran show their hogs Jan. 16 at the South Florida Fair.
Koty Gopher-Turtle, left, and Khoal Cochran show their hogs Jan. 16 at the South Florida Fair. (Kevin Johnson)

WEST PALM BEACH — In an agricultural corner of South Florida’s largest fair – the South Florida Fair – kids from the Seminole Tribe’s 4-H program showed judges what they’ve been working on for the past several months.

Some kids raised swine since last fall. Wearing patchwork jackets, they guided the thick, burly creatures – in most cases weighing more than two times their young handlers – into the ring at the fair’s market hog show.

Sheri Trent, the tribe’s 4-H youth development extension agent, said a lot of hard work by the kids takes place leading up to the fair.

“The kids trained their animals to lead, spent time with them, groomed them, fed them multiple times a day, and worked very hard to make the weight and show successfully,” Trent said.

Amariah Lavatta, far right, is focused on guiding her swine while keeping eye contact with the judge.
Amariah Lavatta, far right, is focused on guiding her swine while keeping eye contact with the judge. (Kevin Johnson)

The swine, or hog, portion of the fair featured three classes: seniors (ages 15-19), intermediate (12-14) and junior (8-11). It started with the market hog showmanship Jan. 16 – the day before the fair opened to the public – and continued the following day with the market show. The animals went to auction Jan. 18.

As he waited in the pens for his group to be called, Esteban Santibanez Jr., a fourth grader at Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School, said he received his hog in September when it weighed 80 pounds. Four months and 200 pounds later the male, which he named “Brownie,” entered the ring at 277 pounds.

“Working the pig is harder than working the dog,” Santibanez said. “He likes mud.”

His next-door pen neighbor, Amariah Lavatta, also raised a brown, male hog, and, coincidentally, also named it “Brownie,” who tipped the scales at 263 pounds. In the pen next to Lavatta was Nohea Collins, who kept the colorful naming trend going with her hog named “Bluey,” who weighed 230 pounds.

Timothy Urbina has been raising and showing hogs for about the past four or five years. The Moore Haven High Student said he enjoys the entire process.

“It’s messy, but it’s fun,” he said.

Seminoles didn’t win any championships with their hogs, but Trent said the purpose of these events – and what it takes to raise the hogs – reaches far beyond the showing, selling and awards.

“The responsibility, agriculture awareness, independence and self-confidence they learn is the primary focus of the project,” she said. “All of these animals are sold at the sale for food production and provide healthy meat products for the community and families who purchase them.”

The grand champions from the hog show were: Makinley Garrett (junior swine), Leela Puffenburger (intermediate swine), and Madeline Zajac (senior swine).

Esteban Santibanez Jr. with his 277-pound hog “Brownie” at the fair.
Esteban Santibanez Jr. with his 277-pound hog “Brownie” at the fair. (Kevin Johnson)
After participating in showmanship, Nohea Collins steers her swine back into the pen area.
After participating in showmanship, Nohea Collins steers her swine back into the pen area. (Kevin Johnson)
Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson is senior editor. He has worked for The Seminole Tribune since 2014. He was previously an editor, photographer and reporter for newspapers in Southwest Florida and Connecticut. Contact Kevin at kevinjohnson@semtribe.com.
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