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    Big business
November 23, 2009

Going hog wild

Fall Classic has second highest income

Derrick Miller

DUNCAN — The annual National Swine Registry Fall Classic had its pig sale this weekend at the Stephens County Fair & Expo Center. The sale was a success, both monetarily and in attendance.

Darrell Anderson, chief executive officer of the National Swine Registry, said the sale passed the $1 million mark in money raised from sales.

“This is the second highest ever with 2000 being higher,” Anderson said.

Some of the hogs brought in thousands of dollars. For instance the top selling boars included a cross-bred boar for $48,000, a cross-bred breeding boar for $52,000 and a Duroc boar for $35,000.

Anderson said the show brought sellers from 30 states and buyers from 27 states.

Loisdawn Jones, Duncan Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, said the event usually brings in about 10,000 people and aids the economy of Duncan and surrounding areas because of the number of people who attend the event.

Jones said the event traditionally brings about $1.5 million to the Duncan and Stephens County area. Gas stations and hotels are given a boost by the event, she said.

The sales tax reflects the impact of the event, Jones said. Both the National Swine Registry Fall Classic and the Rising Star Calf Roping occur in November and provide an economic boost to the community, Jones said.

“Both events have a huge impact for our community,” Jones said. “Both are definitely premier events.”

She said the fourth quarter of the year is usually slower. But in Duncan, those large events help to provide a needed monetary hike for Duncan. As far as sales tax go by weeks, last years sales tax during the week of the Rising Star Calf Roping was about half a million. During the week of the National Swine Registry pig sale last year, sales tax accumulated to nearly $1 million, Jones said.

Jeannie Bowden, Stephens County Fair & Expo Center acting manager, said she was impressed with the size of this year’s event. Bowden said she received a call from the National Swine Registry prior to the event to let her know more pig pins would be needed.

“It went really well,” Bowden said. “The number of swine increased. It seemed as though the entry of pigs went well.”

She said anyone was able to participate in the sale. Bowden said many of the people are exempt from sales taxes because they file for an agriculture exemption from the Internal Revenue Service.

Bowden said the event had a monetary impact on the fairground, too, through rent income and soft drink sales.

“Both are substantial,” she said.

Debra Burch, Duncan Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, said members of the Chamber turned out to welcome sale participants to town. As people were waiting to register their hogs, Chamber members were giving them coffee.

Burch said the event is an important staple of Duncan. She said people keep coming back because of the hospitality of the Duncan community and the facilities of the Stephens County Fair & Expo Center.

“I know it’s a good thing for Duncan,” Burch said.

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