Youth Swine Judging Contest

Iowa State Fairgrounds, Pioneer Livestock Pavilion

The Iowa Pork Producers Association invites all Iowa 4-H and FFA members to participate in the Youth Swine Judging Contest! Participants can learn more about Iowa’s pork industry and judging hogs while having the opportunity to earn scholarships.

 

Register at the link below by October 29th, 2025.

 
Registration 

FULL EVENT DETAILS

When:
Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025

Check in: Team check-in 8:30-9:30 a.m.. The contest begins at 10 a.m. 

Where:
Iowa State Fairgrounds, Pioneer Livestock Pavilion

Details:
This contest is meant to be a team event, and students are encouraged to be on teams. A team will consist of 4 students, with 3 of the scores counting toward the team total. Teams of 3 will be allowed if a team of 4 cannot be formed. If a team of 3 cannot be formed, individuals will be accepted. The contest will have junior and senior divisions, with juniors being any students who are not yet in high school.

Parking:
Buses, vans, and cars will be able to park on the west side of Pioneer Livestock Pavilion on Rock Island Avenue on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

What to Expect:

  • Carcass Fabrication Demonstration: Students will watch a fabrication demonstration of a hog carcass to see the different cuts of a hog and where our favorite pork products come from – sponsored by Smithfield Foods.
  • Keep/Cull Gilt Class: The keep/cull class will challenge the students to evaluate 8 pigs based on breeding characteristics of a good female. They will be asked to select 4 gilts they would like to keep and put back into the breeding herd.
  • Live Carcass Evaluation: The carcass evaluation class asks students to answer a set of multiple-choice questions based on carcass traits of live hogs such as weight, loin eye size, back fat.
  • Market Hog Class and Commercial Gilt Class: The last two hog evaluation classes will fit more of what the students are accustomed to when it comes to livestock judging contest. Each will have a total of four live animals, and students will be asked to rank them from best to worst.
  • Iowa Pork Industry/Meat Quality Exam: Students will be asked multiple-choice questions which will focus on Iowa’s pork industry, meat quality and characteristics, and general farm practices.  

For more information, contact Brielle Smeby at (800) 372-7675 or bsmeby@iowapork.org.

 

2024 Contest Results

 

 

 

Please take the time to thank all of our 2024 Judging Contest sponsors for their continued support of our youth!