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'Underground' hog show creates controversy, raises conversation about reopening livestock shows

One Meade County man hosted a hog show at a closed public park, sparking controversy and raised the debate over reopening livestock shows in Kentucky.

MEADE COUNTY, Ky. — There is no joy in Andyville, at least for those who spend their days dreaming of raising a prized pig like 13-year-old Brayden Lancaster.

Lancaster said he works 40 to 50 hours each week at this home in the small Meade County community in an effort to get his sows "show ready," but waiting for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to allow kids like him back into the ring again has been frustrating.

The young man is one of tens of thousands of Kentucky kids whose livestock projects are stuck in the barn by COVID-19. But across the county, in Flaherty, he did show last weekend at a contest held behind what are again locked gates at the Flaherty Community Ball Park.

Brayden's dad, Adam, posted to social media pictures of the "underground” hog show.

“People in the livestock world can show anywhere," Adam Lancaster said. “If you give them a Walmart parking lot, and a ring, we're going to have a pig show. We don't care, we just want to show these animals.”

Not everyone in this community was happy, especially since sports families are locked out. Some accused Adam of going around state health guidelines, although he insists he got approval from the county health department.

The Lincoln Trail Health District said they did not approve of the show and recommended waiting until Beshear's June 8 approval date. They sent us this statement:

“Lincoln Trail District Health Department’s (LTDHD) did not recommend the Flaherty event .

The mission of LTDHD has always been to assure the public’s health and safety. In response to COVID-19, public health has used its expertise in the areas of disease containment and mitigation to meet this mission. We provide guidance and recommendations to organizations that are rooted in evidenced-based public health practices. Organizations that adhere to these recommendations will reduce the impact of COVID-19 among their staff and customers.”

Lancaster claims that a county-based health official said it was okay to go ahead with the show, but that official denied the claim to me.

“At no one time was anybody closer than six feet," he said. “The ring was set up to where we could have a minimum of kids in there, no more than ten kids at a time. In fact, I think at the most was seven. The trailers was spaced out so you was with your family and your family only.”

Those were all points he made to County Judge Executive Gerry Lynn, who confirmed for me that he gave approval. One reason Lynn approved was because Friday night, the night before the show, 3,000 people took to the streets of Brandenburg for a graduation parade.

Lancaster has a passionate plea for those making decisions or judgements.

“I see the work that Brayden puts in. Day in and day out. I see the young man that it has made him in to. These shows can happen and they can go on successfully," Lancaster said.

The show at the ballpark was not the first the family was involved with since the pandemic. They said they have competed in Indiana where organizers held events with similar precautions to those they used in Meade County.

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