ROME TOWNSHIP — A veteran 4-Her and a younger competitor took the top two honors at the market pig show Tuesday night at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds.

Dustin Wilson, 17, of Scottown, was grand champion and Curtis Lybrand, 11, of Waterloo, was reserve champion for the animals they raised.

This was Wilson’s ninth year in the 4-H program.

To him winning has “always been a dream. I never thought it would come true,” he said as he received the good wishes of family and friends after the competition.

Judge for the three-hour competition was Tom Farrer, a pig breeder from Indiana who graduated from Purdue University and raises Yorkshires and Durock breeds of pigs.

There were 120 pigs in the competition in 12 classes grouped according to weight. Weights ranged from 220 to 280 pounds. These pigs will go to the market auction on Saturday.

Most onlookers agreed this year’s show had a high level of competitors.

“There is a lot of quality animals in the show,” Randy Lambert, one of the directors of the Lawrence County Fair Board, commented during the show. “As we go into the upper weights, the judge will take a lot longer (to make his decision.)

Judge Farrer in talking about the animals agreed with Lambert’s assessment.

“These meat animals will produce some real product,” he told the audience.