Young exhibitor keeps family history going

Hansen “hogs” awards with Grand Champ and Reserve

 

IMLAY CITY — Showing hogs in competition is nothing new for Wyley Hansen. The 19-year old livestock exhibitor has been around swine since he was in diapers.

He believes he saw his showing career come to an end at the Eastern Michigan State Fair last week.

His outstanding career came to a highly successful conclusion on Tuesday, July 22 when he “hogged” all the awards during show day, including earning Supreme Showman.

“It’s been a great fair and a fun way to finish my years in the show ring,” said the 2024 North Branch grad. “I intend to stay in the industry. But, probably my show days are over. I’ve been thinking about it a lot in the past few weeks, knowing this fair would most likely be my last. It’s a lot to think about, trying to figure out what I will do in the future.”

Last week, at the Eastern Michigan State Fair, Hansen won five awards including earning Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion market hogs with his two entries. He also won an advanced showmanship class in his age group as well as overall Supreme Showman.

Following in the footsteps of his siblings, who also found success in the show ring, Hansen said he purchased his prize-winning hogs during an on-line auction from an out-of-state breeder in early March. He spent the following several months feeding and training his swine projects, in anticipation of the Eastern Michigan State Fair.

At Thursday’s livestock sale at the fair, Hansen’s two hogs, weighing 284 and 273 pounds, were the first to go through the sale ring.

“I’m pretty happy,” he said after his second animal sold. “It’s a real honor to be able to have the top two animals in the swine show. It’s been a busy week.”

Being kept busy in the sale ring Thursday was made possible, thanks to the help of other volunteers.

Hansen explained, “I have a couple of handlers who get the animals from their pen in the swine barn and bring them to me in the sale ring. Those guys were a big help to me, the way it worked out.”

Hansen, at 19 years old, says he has plenty left to give to the swine industry and said although his show career was done, “ I might be heading over to the Genesee County Fair (going the same week as the EMSF) and help a friend of mine show their animals. Lend them a hand and make sure they are ready to go in to the show ring.”

Looking back over his career in the show ring and on the family farm, Hansen says his dad, Steve, influenced him at a young age to be involved with hogs.

“We had 10 or 12 sows that we bred and raised show pigs when I was younger,” Hansen said. “We’ve had hogs as long as I can remember and I know I’ve been round them since I was still in diapers.”

Hansen said while he’s shown hogs for a long time, he took a break from the show circuit in 2016.

“My dad and I went fishing and camping and spent some time together and I am really glad I did that. Just took a break from showing hogs for a while.”

His father suddenly passed away, in 2021. According to his obituary, Steve was a graduate of Almont High School, Class of 1985. He was very active with the Eastern Michigan State Fair, helping influence young exhibitors.

Speaking on behalf of the Eastern Michigan State Fair Board at the time of his passing, fair manager Ian Kempf said, “Steve was a devoted fair board member who worked tirelessly for the betterment of the fair. His efforts were invaluable, ensuring that thousands of children and families created lifelong memories.”

“It gave me a new motivation, to show again and stay in the industry,” said Hansen, who was 14 years old when his dad passed.

“I plan to have my own animals to sell and raise show hogs, just like we did when I was younger. I miss my dad, for sure. I learned a lot from him in a short amount of time and he always supported me. My whole family always has.”