This year the Foundation Female comes from a herd that needs no introduction to the Hampshire breed.  Early in the spring Jesse Heimer of Heimer Hampshires was approached about donating a gilt to be offered as the Foundation Female.  Jesse without hesitation agreed to provide this gilt, however he wanted to put a spin on things.  This year the NJSA will be offering a bred gilt from the heart of the Heimer Hamshire herd.

Now during this entire process, Jesse had one stipulation that we make this about the NJSA and the kids, but  I would be remiss if I didn’t say a thing or two about Jesse.  Jesse was one of the instrumental individuals  in developing the NJSA program.  He served on the original steering committee that truly shaped the NJSA into what it is today.  Jesse has continued to support youth development by sharing his time and knowledge.

Brian Anderson and I had the opportunity to visit the farm and help in picturing this gilt, as well as look through his truly incredible herd.  I can promise you one thing, this gilt has been treated the same as Jesse’s keeper gilts.  She has been running in a dirt lot with 15 other gilts on a basic gestation feed and hasn’t seen any feed additives.  I’m sure most of you realize that it would have been extremely easy for Jesse to offer this gilt in his online bred gilt sale a few days ago, and if I was a betting man I would have put money on her to be his lead off lot.  But his desire to ensure the longevity of the NJSA prompted his generous donation.  Youth for years to come will reap the benefit.  Thanks Jesse, Amy, Max, and Harper!

Let me introduce to you the 2013 NJSA Foundation Female, HH2 Sonya 120-6

This gilt is an example of what every a Hampshire female should look like! It’s hard to make gilts of any breed that are this good looking from the side while having the stout feature and skeleton we all seek.  She comes and goes so square and proportions into a bold and maternal type of rib and body.  This gilt alone has tremendous value, but there is a belly full of pigs that comes along with the deal.  Sonya is bred back to the high selling Hampshire boar at the 2012 Fall Classic.  Eyes were all on Jesse’s boar at Duncan and Shaffer’s Gold Rush picked this guy up. They call him Revolution.  He is a Point Taken X Home Grown.  The future for this young female looks bright and the sky could be the limit with this mating. The mothers of  Revolution and this Foundation Female are a pair of 85 litter sows that go back an extremely impressive 5 litter The Judge sow that was purchased from McCoys.  Extended pedigrees and more info will be at Louisville.