Adams County Students Showcase Hogs, Learn Industry Skills in Louisville

Fifteen members of the Ohio Valley Career and Technical Center Ag Business class traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for the 2025 North American International Livestock Expo. Students arrived on Tuesday, November 6, where they spent the day unloading animals and setting up pens before competing later in the week. The group entered the Breeding Gilt class on Friday and took part in showmanship on Saturday. Student Josie Walters placed in the Top 10 and earned a premium for her performance.

Beyond the ring, the trip provided classroom learning in a real world setting. Students handled logistics of animal transport, practiced animal husbandry, and observed large scale livestock operations. Organizers also built cultural learning into the visit with a tour of the Louisville Slugger factory and attendance at a performance at the Derby Dinner Theatre, broadening students cultural and vocational perspectives.

Community support made the trip possible. The program acknowledged the bus driver and chaperones, Cherry Fork Farm Supply and Tisha Wolfer for providing feed, supplies and jackets, and parents who furnished food and snacks. That network of local businesses and families lowered barriers to participation and illustrates how small town resources can sustain youth development programs.

For Adams County residents the trip matters for several reasons. Agricultural education like this advances workforce readiness for regional food and livestock industries, and it contributes to a community understanding of where food comes from. Practical training in animal care and biosecurity practices can also strengthen local public health resilience by promoting safer animal handling and awareness of disease prevention. Equitable access to these experiences is a policy and funding issue for local schools, because the costs of travel and show participation can exclude students unless communities provide targeted support.

The Ohio Valley CTC FFA Reporter submitted this account through student representative Kamryn Gibson, reflecting a program that combines technical training with community collaboration to expand opportunities for Adams County youth.