3 Essential Show Pig Brushes

Written by: Riley Stull

“It’s almost an expectation now that when you hit the ring, your skin and hair is on point."

- Kent Bennington

Trends - they’re not just in fashion, they’re in the show ring too! There’s been multiple trends hitting the show ring in the past few years. Walking pigs with their heads up, shaggy hair instead of tightly clipped hair, and the biggest - insanely well presented skin and hair. In Kent Bennington’s latest herdly course, Ready for the Ring, he said, “It’s almost an expectation now that when you hit the ring, your skin and hair is on point. Skin and hair ties everything together, whether you’re going to be competitive in class or showmanship. It’s very important that your skin and hair is dialed in.” 

Based on what we’ve learned in the herdly show barn this summer, here are three essential brushes for your show pig project. (P.S. we share tons of content from the herdly show barn in the herdly community, exclusively for subscribers! Join today!) 

1. Tampico Brush - This brush is the definition of multipurpose! It can be used to wash pigs, remove dry, flaky skin, brush out shavings and is even a favorite to take into the ring. We call it the “Get Up and Go” brush in our family, simply because you can get them up, brush them off, use it to apply product, then shove it in your back pocket as you head to the ring. 

“When you’re talking about the showring setting and cleaning up a mess, the tampico brush is the one that is going to do a better job with the stiffer bristles on getting them cleaned up.” - Kent Bennington 

You may want to purchase more than one of these brushes though - one to keep in the barn and one to keep in the show box so you don’t forget it!

To access the Tampico Brush, click here!

2. Natural Fiber Grooming Brush - A relative to the Tampico Brush, simply because it holds many of the same purposes and has the same type of bristles. In some barns, this one can be the favorite to take into the show ring because it fits more naturally into a smaller hand. The curved handle of the brush makes it easier to grasp onto, fitting more naturally into the palm of your hand.

To view the Natural Fiber Grooming Brush, click here!

3. Horse Hair Brush - A crucial step when applying a product is to ensure you brush it in. This soft bristled brush works great to distribute the product evenly over the skin, ensuring that all areas of your pig gets completely covered. 

Since the bristles are so soft, it doesn’t do the greatest job with removing dirt, but once you have them cleaned off, this is the brush you want to finish getting them ready for the ring with!

The Horse Hair Brush can be found here!

Want to get more tips and learn about Kent Bennington's favorite show barn tools to get your pigs on point for the ring? Check out Ready for the Ring presented by Weaver Livestock. It's totally FREE! 

Riley Stull is an AgriBusiness and Applied Economics major at The Ohio State University, a member of the 2022-2023 NJSA Junior Board, and herdly.io content creator. To reach Riley, e-mail [email protected]