Howdy, my name is Annemarie Garza. I am currently a senior at James Madison High School and a member of the James Madison FFA Chapter. I have raised swine for three years. After placing 4th in the San Antonio Rodeo Calf Scramble last year, I was awarded a sponsorship to raise a breeding animal.
I chose my favorite breed of swine – a purebred Hampshire gilt. I named her “Sweet Pea”. I received her when she was just a mere 76 pounds. She now weighs about 280 pounds! I love working with her daily and watching her grow into a strong healthy gilt. My daily routine includes feeding her in the morning and evening. She gets yogurt every morning for her digestive system. She started out on Lindner 685 (16% protein) full feed but have recently moved her over to Lindner 686 Shape & Guts full feed to help her fill out more in the rib area. Currently, her diet consists of a mixture of supplements to enhance her body condition and health: Sunglo Full Tank, Sunglo S’Mores, Sunglo Milk It, and Sunglo Game On. My daily routine also includes making sure she has fresh water, a clean pen, and a bath, if needed. I take Sweet Pea outside every day for showmanship training and exercise if the weather is nice. I spend about a minimum of 3 hours per day with her. My goal is to have her ready for the gilt show category at the San Antonio Rodeo.
Our first show we attended was the Bar-Y Showdown on October 26, 2024, where we came in 6th place in market. On December 30, 2024, at the Bexar County Junior Livestock Show, we won Reserve Breed for Hampshire. We are looking forward to attending more shows.
I really enjoy competing and being a part of the FFA program; it has been a great experience. With my earnings I would like to apply them to my college expenses. My goal is to attend Texas A&M University to major in Biomedical Science for my future career in Dentistry.
