Freshman Amity Batt kicked off the new school year with a bang! Not only did she walk into a new school on her first day, but she also started it with a few new banners hanging on her wall!
She said the late start was all worth it when she heard her name called as the Indiana Champion Intermediate Showman at the Indiana State Fair on Friday. This was the first time Batt has received the award, which she has worked hard to achieve.
Batt has been showing pigs since she was 3 years old, growing up on a farm west of Salem. Last week, she showed both pigs and sheep in Indianapolis. She has grown up in the show ring, having two older siblings who also show, but she said she would still show, even if it wasn’t something her family did.
“I get to meet a lot of new people,” she said. “And showing has made me a lot more social.”
In addition to pigs and sheep, Batt also shows cows in the fall.
“But pigs are my favorite,” she said. “I feel that I am best at that!”
Batt said the experience at the state fair is definitely worth missing a few days of school, even when starting a new school year in a new place.
She said she was both happy and surprised by the win and explained that showmanship is when the judges watch you from the moment you step into the ring until you leave. The judges are looking at you the whole time, not your animal.
With all the pressure in the ring, Batt has no problem being prepared for her freshman year of high school.