our youth: AG KIDS
Fond of Pigs
By MELISSA MOORMAN
K
amden Hutton is a busy
freshman at Peaster High
School. Along with her school
work, she also plays softball and
shows pigs through Peaster FFA.
Kamden is currently second
in her class and taking all Pre AP
classes at Peaster. Her dream is
to be either an athletic trainer or
a physical therapist after college.
She’s also hoping for a scholar-
ship to play college softball, and
her pick of schools would be
Texas A&M.
Hutton shows both barrow
and breeding pigs at all of the
major shows in Texas including
Fort Worth, San Antonio, San
Angelo, Austin and Houston.
Her favorite show is the Houston
one, which she thinks of nostal-
gically. She started her showing
career there at the age of 9.
“It has a good feel to it
and it’s very clean. It also has
a Pappasito’s Cantina on the
fairgrounds, which has the
best food,” she said. She’s won
money at the Houston show
along with two airline tickets
and belt buckles. She’s also won
at San Antonio. “I’ve been very
blessed. It’s probably balanced
out the spending and earnings
over the years,” she continued.
She hasn’t used her airline tick-
ets yet, but said she probably
will this summer when she trav-
els with her select softball team.
The team plays in six different
states. She’s thinking of using
the tickets when they play in
California.
Her mom, Kim Hutton, said
she loves the discipline her kids
have learned through being a
part of FFA. She also likes that
it’s taught them to be humble.
“Going in the show ring you
think you’ve given 100 percent.
Then when you get there, you
have just one person’s opinion
102
Peaster Freshman Learns
Responsibility While
Showing Pigs
“I am fond of pigs.
Dogs look up to
us. Cats look down
on us. Pigs treat
us as equals.” —
Winston Churchill
of which one is the best animal. You have an
opportunity to get a ribbon or you may get noth-
ing. You aren’t always going to win. They learn
life lessons. It’s a growing experience,” she said.
Traveling around the state is a pleasure for
Kamden. “I love traveling. It’s because I do so much that the car ride is relaxing. I
get to rest in the backseat while my parents are driving,” she said. She tries to get
ahead of the work she will miss while away at shows and uses technology to turn
it in online, faxes it or just turns it in when she gets back home. She also uses the
facilities at shows like San Antonio where they have a barn set up like a study hall to
help kids stay caught up with their studies.
Raising and showing pigs requires a lot of discipline and makes for long days.
Kamden feeds first at home at 7 a.m. then goes to the Peaster school barn and feeds
there before school starts. After a full school day, and after school softball practice,
she feeds at the school barn and then at home, as well, walking and working with
the animals. Weekends she adds in conditioning the animals, cleaning their pens
and washing. All of the work is just part of what it takes to show animals.
“The biggest part of ag is responsibility,” Kamden said. “It’s like taking care of a
child, but I have five of them. It’s time-consuming, but you still have to manage your
time. I have other things to do, but they are still a priority.”
She plans on showing animals through her senior year at Peaster.