Ring Ready Routines: The Night Before a Big Show
- Norah Kirpatrick
- Jul 9
- 5 min read
If you’ve ever been around livestock shows, you know that show day starts long before you ever step into the ring. For exhibitors, the night before a show is one of the most important parts of the entire weekend! Proper preparation can make the difference between a smooth, stress-free morning and complete chaos when it’s time to load up and leave.
For beginners, it can feel overwhelming trying to remember everything you need while also making sure your pigs are healthy, comfortable and ready to perform.
Over time, most exhibitors develop a routine that helps keep show day organized and less stressful for both you and your pigs. Here’s a few things I like to do before heading to a show!
Packing the Trailer and Your Show Box
Before I head to a show, I make a checklist. When you are loading pigs, equipment, feed and supplies, it’s easy to forget something important.
Here are a few things to always pack:
Extra shavings - Pen conditions can vary from show to show. Extra bedding helps keep pigs clean, dry and comfortable throughout the weekend.
Feed and supplements - Bring plenty of the feed and products your pig is already used to. Shows can throw pigs off their normal routine, and stress, weather changes or a new environment can affect appetite. Some exhibitors even bring water from home so their pigs are not adjusting to a new taste or source at the show. Products like Show Gun are also helpful to have on hand to support appetite and encourage pigs to get back on feed if something happens.
Skin and hair supplies - Pack brushes, conditioners, oils, sprays and any other grooming products ahead of time. Having everything ready makes show morning much smoother.
Cooling equipment - Fans and extension cords are a must, especially during warm weather. Good airflow helps keep pigs comfortable and can support appetite, energy and appearance in the barn.
Basic health supplies - Keep basic medications, Electrolyte and other health supplies with you at all times. If a pig starts acting off, gets dehydrated or needs attention, having supplies nearby can make a big difference.
Assessing Overall Health
Before loading any pig in the trailer, you should carefully check each animal’s health condition. Shows are stressful environments, and unhealthy pigs can decline quickly once travel is added.
Healthy pigs should have:
Perky ears
Bright, clean-looking eyes
A good appetite
Smooth breathing
No coughing
Firm, solid stool
If a pig seems sluggish, has labored breathing, or shows signs of illness, it may be better to leave that animal home rather than risk worsening the problem or exposing other pigs at the show!
Reducing Stress Before the Show
Pigs are extremely smart animals, and they remember bad experiences. One of the best ways to reduce stress is practicing loading several days before the show.
Allow pigs to calmly walk onto the trailer and become familiar with the process to help prevent fights and panic on show morning. This should never be rushed or overly aggressive. If pigs associate the trailer with fear or stress, loading becomes much harder in the future.
Skin and Hair Preparation
The night before loading, I always wash wash and condition my pigs so they arrive clean and comfortable. Proper skin and hair care is essential for overall presentation in the ring.
You should also check carefully for parasites such as mites while washing. Bringing parasites to a livestock show not only affects your own pigs, but it can also spread to other animals in the barn!
The trailer itself should also be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before loading animals. Fresh, clean shavings help pigs stay dry during travel and reduce the risk of skin irritation.
Exercise the Night Before
Most exhibitors continue their normal exercise routine the night before a show, but it’s important to not overdo it. The goal is to keep pigs loose and comfortable without making them overly tired before traveling.
Practicing walking like you would in the show ring can help pigs stay sharp and responsive. Some exhibitors even walk two pigs at once with help from another person so pigs become more comfortable around other animals before arriving at the busy show environment.
Many competitors also apply a topical product such as poultice or liniment to help prevent soreness and stiffness during the trailer ride. This helps keep pigs comfortable so they perform at their best once they enter the ring.
Products to Help with Ring Readiness
The final days and even weeks before a show are all about keeping your project fresh, full, hydrated and ready to compete. This isn’t the time to completely change the routine, but it’s the time to be intentional with products that support the look you want in the ring.
Ticket Punch is designed to support hydration, intake, pop and bloom leading into show day.
Use it like this:
3 days before show day: Top dress 1 to 4 oz. per head per day.
Day before the show: Mix 4 oz. with 1 to 5 gallons of water and allow the animal to drink the mixture throughout the day.
Day of show: Offer regular water only to allow for maximum hydration.
On Point helps support freshness, cover and mass while adding shape and definition. It contains high quality, easy to digest protein to help support bloom and premium fat sources to promote freshness.
For jackpot shows, On Point can be started two weeks before the first show.
For target shows, timing depends on the shape of your animal. Light to medium shaped projects may need to start 45 to 30 days before the target show, while heavily muscled projects may only need to start around 21 days before the show.
Bottomline, the night before a livestock show can feel hectic, especially for beginners, but good preparation makes a huge difference. In the show pig industry, success often comes from doing the little things consistently behind the scenes long before the judge ever sees your animal in the ring!
Ticket Punch - Best Show Day Electrolyte
Ticket Punch is the purple punch that creates that extra ditch with a fresh look. This is the ticket to that 12 o’clock look when your project hits the ring.
On Point - Ultimate Muscle & Freshness
On Point is the key to giving your project a fresher, more youthful look while creating more cover and mass on the top side of the skeleton.
Electrolyte - Daily Electrolyte
Electrolyte is a straight-ahead electrolyte to keep projects hydrated in stressful and challenging conditions.
Show Gun - Get Show Animals Eating Fast
Show Gun is the ticket to getting your project up and eating again! This natural oral drench contains patented ingredients that focus on reducing stress and promoting appetite to get animals back on track and show-ring-ready quickly
