BEAVER DAM, Ky. – Todd and Angie Leisure’s three daughters have put Beaver Dam on the map, thanks to their love of pigs and their success with them in show arenas across Kentucky.

“All three girls were very successful in the pig show ring,” Angie said. “All three showed goats and sheep as well, but the pig was the animal of choice for all three and all three thrived in the show ring. All three of them traveled across Kentucky showing pigs in all types of large and small shows.”

The family resides on a hobby farm in Beaver Dam, about 25 miles south of Owensboro. Though the farm has been downsized over the years, the family once tended to hundreds of acres of corn, beans, hay, horses and pigs. The only species found on this tiny farm now is the pig.

Kelsey, now 27, earned an animal science degree from Western Kentucky University. She now owns and operates a florist in town. She was vice president of her high school’s FFA program. Kamryn, 20, is working to become a mortician in town. She was president of her high school’s FFA chapter.

Karlee, 16, has followed in their footsteps, traveling the state in pursuit of swine shows both large and small. Her parents presented her with her first pig when she was just 5 years old.

All three have shown at the Kentucky State Fair, with Kamryn showing Grand Champion Swine a few years back.

“All three of my daughters came through the ranks of Cloverbuds and 4-H, and all of them favored the swine,” Angie said. “Oh, they showed a lot of other species, but the pig was their favorite.”

Karlee said, “I want to show until I’m too old to show any more. In the end I’d like to become a mortician and work with Kamryn. As a mortician you bond with families and you’re there with people through those tough times. Until then, my root interest is with the pigs.

“I was actually forced into showing pigs at a really young age,” she said. “It all started when my oldest sister, Kelsey, came home from high school with a pig in her arms. The pig was meant for me. At first, I didn’t want to put in the work but as I’ve grown older and grown close to other families that raise pigs, and I also realize the pig can become part of your own family. Working with pigs can help you with determination and having a good work ethic, and that’s hard to find in kids these days.”

Karlee has numerous championships in both the Ohio County Fair show ring and at the Kentucky State Fair. Two years ago, Karlee won her showmanship division at the state fair.

In the so-called offseason of summer, Karlee traversed the state competing in various livestock shows in other Kentucky counties. She has exhibited her jogs for numerous years in -H at county fairs, at Kentucky Department of Agriculture District youth shows and at each Kentucky State Fair.

To further her 4-H swine project, she has applied for and received Youth Agriculture Incentives Program cost share funds from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

“My hope is for first place in the 4-H Championship Drive at the state fair,” Karlee said.

The Kentucky State Fair 4-H and FFA Championship Drive is an event designed for the purpose of recognizing the division champion and reserve champions of each species and to select Grand Champion, Reserve Champion 3rd Overall, 4th Overall and 5th Overall from each species.

Karlee is a straight-A student and member of her high school’s Pep Club. Karlee, a high school sophomore, is among the leading scorers on her varsity basketball team, averaging roughly 10 points per game for the Ohio County High School Eagles. For Karlee, school participation is important, but her swine projects are key to her heart.

While the farm was once littered with dozens of small pigs at one time, Angie has limited Karlee to five pigs at one time for the past four years.

“We buy just five at a time,” Angie said. “It’s a lot of work for Karlee to work along. She feeds them, conditions them and does all the daily chores associated with working with pigs.”

 While Karlee is self-driven, she credits Ohio County Extension specialist Gary Druin for assisting her in her 4-H journey.

“He’s helped me apply for and receive Youth Agriculture Incentives Program cost share funds from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to further my 4-H swine project,” she said.

Karlee shows pigs at 10-15 shows each summer in Kentucky. Her favorite show stop is the Kentucky State Fair. There she meets up with old acquaintances.

“It’s my favorite time of year,” she said. “All my friends from different counties gather and we camp out in the barns, hang out and just have fun. It’s also fun to meet people who may have never seen or been around a pig. People are intrigued by it all, and I love that.”

Employment as a mortician is looking more and more like a reality for Karlee, but she admits the pigs won’t escape her life anytime too soon.

“That said, I see myself living on a big farm someday in the future,” Karlee said. “Once I have my own family, my kids will definitely show livestock. I think it’s something that everybody needs, especially when you have good support from your county as I do.”