We Caught up with Mr. Colby Gillespie, exhibitor of the 3rd Overall Purebred Gilt at The 2023 Exposition. Learn more about Colby below…

Age: 20

Grade: College Junior

Hometown: Chillicothe, Missouri

Tell us a little about your champion:
I had the Third Overall Purebred Gilt and Champion Berkshire Gilt at the Exposition bred by Lane Show Pigs

What do your days leading up to a show look like?
The days leading up to the show were stressful. We knew she looked very nice but she didn’t want to eat very well when we got to Des Moines so we had to find something she wanted to eat in just a couple days.

Describe the moment you were selected as a champion.
For me, the moment I was selected was a shock. From only showing from my freshman year of high school and not winning a lot on the big stage, it was definitely and opportunity I never thought I would get.

Do you prefer summer or winter shows? Why?
I prefer the summer show mainly because all of our show friends show during the summer.

Who’s been your biggest influence?
I would say there is three. Lance Martin would be the first because if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have got to show in the first place and he is influential to what I still do today. Then the other two are Joe Limbach and Jace Tarbell. Over the last couple years these two have helped me find the pigs well show, give feeding instruction, and help prep them for the ring, with some life advice on the side.

Do you and your family raise pigs?
We have tried before, between bad litters and not having the time going to school it didn’t work, but the plan is to start in the near future.

What’s your favorite thing to do in the barn?
My favorite thing in the barn is being around my family and the group that helps us, because with busy schedules, at night that’s the only time we really see each other consistently.

What’s your favorite thing to do in the summer?
My favorite thing to do in the summer is go to shows. Whether that is showing, helping families, or setting up our show feed booth for my internship, it all revolves around livestock shows.