Diamond bleats at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Diamond bleats at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

4-H expo kicks off in Soldotna

Livestock competition rewards shape, showmanship

At the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, sheep were bleating, pigs were biting at one another, and cows were standing with a sense of stoicism.

The expo returned to the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex this weekend, open from Friday to Sunday, with a variety of agricultural attractions. The main event on Friday was the animal shows, where youth involved in the local 4-H program showed livestock across a variety of categories.

The morning opened with small animals, like bunnies and poultry. Those events were quiet; a sizable crowd gathered around the ring while the contestants showed off their animal to a judge.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

The grand champion award for senior poultry went to Levi Rankin, who handled a large turkey with ease — grabbing the bird by its legs and upending it to show Judge Mary Tryon its underside.

The action got more intense when the pigs rolled into the space, trotting in circles and picking fights with one another. In the lightweight division, parents cautioned their kids to stay clear of the brawls, to instead make space and call out “pig board!” A team of more experienced handlers would drive one of those pig boards, large white slabs, between the animals to break up the quarrel.

Pigs were judged first in three different weight classes, and then the top two of each group returned to the ring for the final. Taking home the top honor, “Overall Champion,” was fifth-year participant Parker Rose and his pig Crackers.

“I mainly wanted to beat my sister this year,” he said. “And I did.”

Rose explained that judges are looking for a variety of qualities in the pig, like the shape, the direction of the feet, and how the weight and muscle are distributed around the body.

There’s also an element of showmanship. Rose said that with the rowdy pigs, the best showcase of control is moving the pig between its pen and the ring. That’s something that Rose said he trained for, but also that would be hard not to do — moving the animal around at home requires the same skill set.

The expo will run Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday features the Junior Market Livestock Auction, with registration and preview at 10 a.m. and the auction at noon. Sunday features the Horse Show at 10 a.m. and the petting zoo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

New to the show this year is the “Ag Olympics,” set for Sunday at 2 p.m., which will show off “the muscle work” of agriculture.

Admission to the expo is $4 per day, or $6 for a weekend pass. Kids 5 and under get in for free.

For more information, visit facebook.com/kpen4H.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

Abigail Price shows her goose Sarah at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Abigail Price shows her goose Sarah at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kelsey Gravelle shows a hen named Frego and Abigail Price shows a goose named Sarah to Judge Mary Tryon at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kelsey Gravelle shows a hen named Frego and Abigail Price shows a goose named Sarah to Judge Mary Tryon at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kelsey Gravelle shows her hen Frego at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kelsey Gravelle shows her hen Frego at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Pigs mill about at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Pigs mill about at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Contestants direct their pigs during the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Contestants direct their pigs during the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Contestants direct their pigs during the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Contestants direct their pigs during the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Parker Rose, center, directs his pig Crackers during the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Parker Rose, center, directs his pig Crackers during the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Parker Rose, center, directs his pig Crackers during the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Parker Rose, center, directs his pig Crackers during the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Parker Rose stands with his Overall Champion ribbon after the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Parker Rose stands with his Overall Champion ribbon after the pig competition at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

More in News

Jason Criss stands for a photo in Soldotna, Alaska, after being named a qualifier for the Special Olympics USA Games on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna athlete to compete in 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

Thousands of athletes from across all 50 states will be competing in 16 sports.

The entrance to the Homer Electric Association office is seen here in Kenai, Alaska on May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
HEA opens bids for real property

The deadline to submit bids is 5 p.m. on Aug. 11.

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. (right) attends a change of plea hearing related to the October 2023 fatal shooting of Brianna Hetrick on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, at the Homer Courthouse in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Mondragon-Lopez sentenced for death of Homer woman

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. accepted a plea deal in February for the shooting of Brianna Hetrick.

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna OKs $395,000 capital plan

This year’s list of capital projects is “nominal compared to some past years,” according to officials.

A map of areas proposed for annexation by the City of Soldotna. (Provided by City of Soldotna)
Soldotna adds annexation proposal to ballot

The proposed annexation is split across five small areas around the city.

Nets are extended from North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, during the first day of the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘A really good day’

Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opens.

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna is seen here on June 1. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough assembly to consider ordinance to increase residential property tax exemption

If approved by voters in October, the ordinance would increase the tax exemption by $25,000.

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

Most Read