LOCATION

Hill Country Youth Event Center • Kerrville, Texas

ENTRY           

December 1, 2023 Deadline

$40 per head – UNLIMITED ENTRIES

$100 Late Fee, accepted up to the check-in deadline
Late entries must still meet any and all ownership and entry requirements

ARRIVAL

Thursday, February 8, 5:00PM – 11:00PM

Friday, February 9, 8:00AM – 6:00PM

CHECK-IN     

Friday, February 9, 8PM Deadline

SHOW     

Saturday, February 10, 9:00AM

Pedigreed, followed by Champion Pedigreed Drive, followed by Light Crossbred

Sunday, February 11, 7:00AM

Dark Crossbred Divisions I, II, and III, followed by Champion Dark Crossbred Drive, Champion Crossbred Drive, and followed by Supreme Champion Drive

SALE

• Preview at 1 PM

• Sale at 4 PM

• Times listed are tentative; subject to change

FEATURES

The show and sale will be live-streamed online by Walton’s Webcasting. A show catalog will be printed and available online featuring exhibitor and breeder information and each gilt’s pedigree. Online bidding available through CCI.live.

PASSES

There will be NO required exhibitor / spectator gate pass or vehicle pass to enter the grounds of Texas’ Elite Showcase.

Judges

Lead Judge
Josh Campbell - Grandview, TX

Associate / Sift Judge
Cody Hayes - Fenton, LA

REQUIREMENTS 

Junior exhibitors of Texas’ Elite Showcase are responsible for knowing and complying with all rules of this show.

LIABILITY

The Texas Pork Producers Association and Texas’ Elite Showcase is not liable for any accidents, theft, injury or property damage. The exhibitor shall indemnify the Texas Pork Producers Association / Texas’ Elite Showcase against all legal or other proceedings in regard thereto, as well as any damage or injury to any other person or property, caused by the Exhibitor, article or any of the animals exhibited.

ENTRIES

Entries in Texas’ Elite Showcase must be made by the County Extension Agent (CEA) and/or Ag Science Teacher (AST) under whose supervision the animals were fed and cared for. The CEA or AST must certify on the entry form that the animal and the owner are eligible under the rules of the show. It is the responsibility of the CEA or AST to read all the rules and check each entry form before signing it. If entries are not correctly submitted, they will be returned. Entry receipts and signatures must be on current forms with a current summary sheet for each club or chapter, listing all owners and their entries along with one (1) check to cover the total fees due. Checks must be drawn on 4-H or FFA accounts, money orders or cashier’s checks. 

There is no limit on the number of entries each exhibitor may enter, provided each entry meets all requirements. 

Texas FFA/4-H Youth Only

Participation in Texas’ Elite Showcase is limited to Texas resident students, who are bona fide members of a Texas 4-H Club or Texas FFA Chapter, and who have continuously owned and personally fed and cared for their animals under the direct supervision of a CEA or AST. Exhibitors must be enrolled in and attending public, private or home school, elementary or secondary schools in Texas. Students must be between the ages of 9 and 18 on or before August 31, year prior to the show. Exception: students in the 3rdgrade become eligible on their 8thbirthday. 

Quality Counts Verification 

All junior show exhibitors are required to have gone through the Quality Counts program, complete and pass the on-line test through which they will be assigned a unique verification number. Each exhibitor’s verification numbers must be recorded on their entry forms at the time of entry. Refer to the website http://qualitycounts.tamu.edu for more information.

Ineligible Exhibitors 

If an exhibitor is suspended under the Texas Education Code 33.081 “No Pass, No Play”, then that exhibitor and their animal are not eligible for competition. 

CTBR Only

Texas’ Elite Showcase is open to only gilts of the Certified Texas Bred Registry. The gilts must have been bred, farrowed, and raised in Texas and have a valid CTBR certificate. CTBR certificates are furnished to eligible breeders; exhibitors should request the certificate from the breeder of the gilt.

State Validated – Ownership Deadline by December 1

All gilts entered in Texas’ Elite Showcase must be validated in the Texas 4-H and FFA Swine Validation Program. Gilts must be listed on an official Swine Validation Form between November 1 and November 30. Exhibitors must have owned and cared for their animals continuously since November 30. 2023. Show management and the Validation Program will work together to make the final decision regarding any potential disqualification. 

A copy of the original registration paper of each purebred gilt must be uploaded through the Texas 4-H and FFA Swine Validation Program by January 3, 2024.

GILTS SHOWN AT OTHER MAJOR SHOWS

*Please be familiar with Rule #5 in the Texas 4-H/FFA Livestock Program Ethics Policy: “Animals validated for major shows may also be exhibited at other shows. Be advised, however, that if any validated animal is exhibited and SOLD at any other show, the animal will be ineligible to show at any subsequent major show. If ownership changes, regardless of method or length of time, that chain of animal ownership is considered broken.”

Certificate of Veterinary Inspection

Health papers are required on ALL gilts and will be inspected upon arrival. ALL certificates of veterinary inspection must be issued on or after January 12, 2024, with the following information:

• Leptospirosis vaccination is required on breeding swine within 30 days prior to date of the sale with vaccine containing the following strains: Canicola, Hardjo, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa and Pomona. Vaccination date must appear on the health certificate.

• A statement must appear that says the animal has not been fed garbage, has not been exposed to hog cholera or pseudorabies, does not originate from a quarantined herd, nor has the herd of origin had PRV within the last six months, nor have the entries themselves been vaccinated for PRV.

• Gilt identification must be included on health certificates in the form of validation number and ear notches.

• Blood tested negative for Brucellosis and Pseudorabies. *(This is required for ALL gilts, purebred or crossbred, of any age, that will be shown at Texas’ Elite Showcase even if the herd is certified Brucellosis and Pseudorabies free.)

Pedigreed (Purebred) Division

The breeder’s name listed on the certificate must match the breeder’s name listed on the official registration certificate issued by the breed association. Exhibitors will be required to present original registration certificates, which indicate the gilt to be Texas-bred. Photocopies will not be accepted. Animals must be registered in the herd book of their association in the name of the junior owner. All purebred gilts must be eligible for exhibition as per guidelines established by their respective breed associations.

A committee of three appointed by the show will determine the eligibility of those gilts that exhibit questionable breed character as established by the breed association for exhibition. All purebred gilts are subject to DNA testing to determine stress, color gene and parentage.

NEW: Purebred classes will be broken by weight following check-in. Gilts must have been farrowed between June 1 – September 10, 2023. Classes will be broken as evenly as possible within breed according to the weight recorded at check-in. Purebreds will follow an 8 breed format, with the following breeds being eligible: Berkshire, Chester, Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace, Poland China, Spotted, Yorkshire.

NEW: Pedigreed gilts will not have a weight minimum or maximum. All gilts will weigh once (1) during check-in. The weight recorded on the official scales is the weight the gilt will show by. After this is completed, the gilt will no longer have a weight back. Weight cards must be turned in by 8pm, February 9th.

Non-Pedigreed (Crossbred) Division

Classes will be broken by weight following check-in. There will be a Light Crossbred breed and a Dark Crossbred breed.

The Light Crossbred breed will strictly be for whites and blues. Absolutely no black pigmentation will be allowed on Light Crossbreds. If black pigmentation is found, the gilt will be reassigned to her respective class within the Dark Crossbred breed.

NEW: The Dark Crossbred breed will be divided into three divisions by check-in weight – Light, Medium and Heavy. Classes will be divided as evenly as possible. Following conclusion of the heavy weight division, a champion and reserve champion dark crossbred gilt will be selected.

NEW: Non-pedigreed gilt must weigh a minimum of 220 pounds, with a maximum weight of 350. Weight cards must be turned in by 8pm, February 9. All gilts will weigh once (1) during check-in. Any gilt that weighs below 220 will be allowed one (1) official reweigh. The weight recorded on the official scales is the weight the gilt will show by. After this is completed, the gilt will no longer have a weight back.

Exhibitors of crossbred gilts will be required to complete a pedigree form at time of check-in, listing the sire and sire of dam.

Champion Purebred Overall: $1,000

Reserve Purebred Overall: $1,000

Champion Crossbred Overall: $1,000

Reserve Crossbred Overall: $1,000

Breed Champion: $500

Reserve Champion: $400

Classes:       

• 1st place: $300

• 2nd place: $250

• 3rd place: $200

• 4th place: $150

• 5th place: $100

Additional Awards

• Supreme Champion: Traveling Trophy featuring Exhibitor and Breeder

• Reserve Supreme: Traveling Trophy featuring Exhibitor and Breeder

• Breed Champions: Banners and Buckles

• Reserve Champions: Banners and Buckles

• Dark Crossbred Division Champions: Trophies

• Dark Crossbred Reserve Division Champions: Trophies

• Class Placings: Rosettes and Vinyl Banners

SALE

A minimum of 50 gilts will be eligible to sell in the Gilts of Distinction Sale. All gilts selected to the sale must sell – no exceptions. All breed champions and reserves are guaranteed a sale lot. A selection committee will be utilized, in addition to the judges, for establishing sale selection and order. There is no limit to the number of gilts an exhibitor may sell. All gilts will sell as is; the show management makes no guarantees. There must be an exhibitor present to take the gilt through the sale ring.

A 15% commission will be collected on each gilt in the sale to assist in marketing expenses. Gilts may be bought back in the sale by the exhibitor; however, the 15% sales commission will still be applied to the sale price. 

The seller will be responsible for expenses incurred to change ownership of registered gilts. Fees associated with ownership changes will be deducted from the seller’s check after commission is taken out. 

The Gilts of Distinction Sale is open to all registered buyers; registration will begin Sunday at the conclusion of the show. All gilts must be paid for in-full before released to the buyer. There will be a $50 service charge on all returned checks. Payment may be made by cash, check or credit card.

It is suggested that all exhibitors subscribe to the National Swine Registry Code of Fair Practices. These can be found on the NSR website, nationalswine.com, in the section titled Policies. Texas’ Elite Showcase makes no warranties regarding any gilt in the sale; gilts sell as-is with no implied guarantee of quality, longevity or breeding soundness.

ETHICS RULES

To foster fair competition, to provide an equal playing field, and to impart the importance of raising swine in an ethical and human manner, the showing of unethically fitted gilts, gilts of any ineligible age for exhibition in the class entered, and/or gilts being administered prohibited substances, as defined herein, is strictly prohibited. Texas’ Elite Showcase reserves the right to randomly test for the presence of unapproved drugs in gilt entries.

Unethical fitting: Gilts showing any signs of being unethically fit will be disqualified. Unethical fitting includes actions to alter the gilt’s performance and true conformation and/or breed character of the gilt.

Appropriate age for class: Any animal that is represented as a different age than its actual birth date will be disqualified.

Gilts that are exhibited must be guaranteed open (not bred).

Prohibited substances

• Any substance that has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for use in food animals; and

• Notwithstanding the foregoing, any beta2-adrenergic agonist not approved for use in swine and furosemide are prohibited substances.

The use of animal drugs or other substances in any matter other than in accord with the labeling approved by the FDA is a violation of federal law. Exhibitor and exhibitor’s parents and/or guardians agree that: 

• They are absolutely and completely responsible for the care and custody of their gilts.

• Texas’ Elite Showcase shall be entitled to disqualify an exhibitor whose gilt tests positive for any unapproved drug, even if the exhibitor and the exhibitor’s parents and/or guardians are innocent of any wrongdoing and did not administer the drug.

• The drug test results of the testing laboratories are final and binding upon the exhibitor and the exhibitor’s parents and/or guardians. Even if the source of the drug is unknown, Texas’ Elite Showcase shall be entitled to disqualify the exhibitor.

PROTESTS FILING

All protests must be in writing and be accompanied by a $500 cash deposit which will not be returned if protest is not sustained. Protests must state plainly the cause of the complaint or appeal and must be delivered to the show superintendent immediately after the occasion that prompted the protest. The TPPA Executive Committee has final authority on rulings. Any protest not officially filed within 24 hours of the incident may not be considered.