We caught up with Ms. Hadley Hendrickson, exhibitor of the Grand Champion and 5th Overall Purebred Gilts at the 2025 Exposition. Learn more about Hadley below…

Fun/Interesting fact about your champion
Grand Gilt: Karen, my gilt, as a baby would attack you when you got in the pen to clean it, but when you started scratching her head, she would sit like a dog and leave you alone. That is why we named her Karen because she is very dramatic and always ruled the barn.

5th Overall Gilt: My family and I had decided that I was going to show this gilt, the Reserve Duroc Gilt and Fifth Overall Purebred Gilt, in the Duroc show, but the morning of the show we changed our minds. I ended up showing Karen, the Grand Overall Purebred Gilt, because they were in the same class.

Ever had a show ring fail? Tell us the story!
One time when I was a novice showmen and showing in the finals of showmanship, my pig was screaming in the corner, so when I thought the judge was not looking, I kneed the pig in the head. It turns out the judge was looking, and I got penned right away placing in the bottom end of top ten.

Another show ring fail was when I was in the finals of Senior showmanship at the Summer Spectacular 2025, I grabbed my brush out of my back pocket to wipe my pig’s butt off. After I got done, I couldn’t get my brush back into my pocket, so I chucked it to the side of the ring. I was very lucky that the judge did not see me do this, and I ended up winning Senior showmanship!

What’s your favorite non-livestock hobby?
My favorite non-livestock hobby is playing volleyball.

If your champion had a theme song, what would it be?
Grand Gilt: Unstoppable by Sia

5th Overall Gilt: Hey Look Ma, I Made It by Panic! At the Disco

What’s the one thing in your show box you can’t live without?
I can’t live without my Weaver show whip because I am very picky about the whip that I am in the ring with. This whip in particular has a great flexibility and length for me that works great for at home and in the show ring.

The product All N because it is important for their show ring presence and final show day look. It is also very fun to administer because they will walk up to the front of the gate and willingly drink from the drench gun.

What do you enjoy most about the summer national shows?
What I enjoy most about summer national shows is the ability to work for a goal and achieve it. I have been working for the goal to win the purebred gilts at the Exposition for 15 years. The ability to finally achieve that goal after years of hard work was a memory that I will cherish forever and always hold close to my heart. This summer, I was gone at both national pig and cattle shows for over a month and was able to travel all over. This was such a fun and busy summer that I was able to spend with the best people and animals.