By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Hailey Gregory, 15, of Mineral Wells, has grown accustomed to selling her market projects, but said to help with the transition she has adopted a policy of no-name animals - she no longer gives her project animals names.  — Staff photo by Carolyn Rost

April 13, 2006 - Although most of the young participants who show their animals at livestock shows are smiling in the ring, once it’s all over and the animal is taken to sell, it’s a different story! At the recent Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo, a couple of the participants talked to us, after showing their animals.

Eleven-year-old Kennan Murphy of Moody enjoyed showing his hog, “Power House,” but letting him go wasn’t as easy. After Power House was taken from the ring and on to the termination sale, things got a little quiet around Kennan.

A first-year member of the Moody Jr. FFA, Kennan is following in his 17-year-old sister, Macayla’s, footsteps when it comes to showing animals. He previously exhibited Power House at the Heart of Texas Show, McClennan County Show, and in Moody. At this final competition for he and his hog, Kennan was really looking forward to it, said his mom Thresa Crump.

Although giving Power House up wasn’t easy, Kennan is already making plans for his next show animal project and hopes to attend even more shows, next year.

Kennan Murphy, 11, of Moody, showed for his first time this year and is already planning his next project. — Staff photo by Carolyn Rost

Fifteen-year-old Hailey Gregory of Mineral Wells, and a member of the Perrin FFA, has gotten a little more used to letting her show projects go. She’s been in the show ring since she was in the third grade, but said it “still isn’t too easy!” When asked her hog’s name, she hesitated and said she has gotten to a point where she tries not to name her animals that will be sold, but admits she called her pig, “Wilbur,” and her mom called him “Some Pig!”

Hailey placed first in the Crossbreed class, although her hog decided to take a “romp” through the ring before it was his time! She noted that the hardest part of raising animals … to her… is feeding, washing and clipping the hogs.

“Sometimes, you have to tie their snout together in order to keep them still,” she explained.

Hailey participated in the Jack County Show, Perrin Show, and San Antonio, along with Austin, this year. Next year, she hopes to include Houston and Fort Worth in her tour.

She said that she really enjoys walking around the shows and meeting new people … even if it means having to make up the missed school work.

After Hailey completes high school in 2008, she plans to go to college at Texas Tech University or Texas A&M University to study to be a dental hygienist. Until then, she’ll continue with her hogs and goats and, hopefully, get a little help through scholarships!