Hallsville Hog Wins Grand Champion Barrow Drive

The Grand Champion Barrow at the 2023 Missouri State Fair, exhibited by Renee Conklin of Hallsville. (Photo by Kyle Hill, Alpha Ag Network)

A switch to barrows paid off for Renee Conklin, as the Hallsville FFA member led her 277-pound light crossbred hog to Grand Champion honors at the Missouri State Fair on Friday afternoon. Conklin, who had shown gilts until this year, said she knew going in that the competition would be intense.

Central MO Info · 23 0812 Renee Conklin after winning with her Grand Champion Barrow cut 2

Conklin said she knew she had a potential champion after a multi-state competition last month.

Central MO Info · 23 0812 Renee Conklin after winning with her Grand Champion Barrow cut 3

Renee Conklin has also shown horses in competition. Her final semester at the University of Tennessee at Martin will receive a boost after her trip to the Sale of Champions on August 19th.

Reserve Grand Champion went to a 283-pound barrow shown by Molly Malter of the Work to Win 4-H Club in Marshall. Unionville’s Kannon Colley had the reserve in the 4-H Division, weighing 289 pounds, while Cole Murphy of Houstonia picked up reserve FFA champion with his 273-pound barrow.