Show Sticks

[PaFFA Proud]

Ok so I was wondering what is the Pros and cons of using pig pipe, canes, and whips? What do yall prefer? ???

 

[chiangus]

We have always used the whips it just seems we have  much more control

 

[LopezShowCattle]

i used both a cane and a whip but personally i pefer the whip and i also used a riding crop  and pefer the crop and whip over the cane anyday

 

[CAB]

We used to like to train to pigs with a pipe/cane/hard showstick, but show them with a whip. If trained well you just have to barely touch them to steer them.

 

[taylor tay]

I was wondering why would u prefer a:
*Cane
*Whip
*Pipe
over the others.

 

[twistedhshowstock]

I use a whip in the show ring with market sized hogs and smaller.  If I am showing a boar or working around the farm i generally use a pipe or cane.  Prefer the whip because it looks sleaker and nicer in show ring, also if you work with your pigs you shouldnt even have to touch them in the show ring, just show em that whip and they will turn.

 

[dutch pride]

I really think whips are the way to go. Better controll if you train them to it at home. That is the key. Get them used to the whip at home and you will be to effortlessly controll them in the show ring. The whips are also less obtrusive and allow the illusion that the pigs are just traveling on their own through the show ring.

DLZ

 

[CAB]

I was wondering why would u prefer a:
*Cane
*Whip
*Pipe
over the others.

Beefmaster the reason I like the cane, pipe, harder showstick @ home is that it is easier to train them with those. They learn it faster. It's all about letting them know what you want them to do. After they are trained well you can use whatever you want. If trained correctly, you'll barely have to use the stick other than to frame the pig. JMO.
Watch the video that RTMCC  put up. His boys are doing a great job of walking/train their pigs to respond to the stick IMO.

 

[kanshow]

Like CAB, we train at home with the pipe and then go to the whip.  My kids have always shown with the whip as it is lighter, looks less obtrusive, etc.  However, this summer our pig show was on one of the hottest days ..  nothing like showing pigs in 100+ temps..    My son did showmanship with the whip but his pig was getting a little cranky/hot, etc - wanting to go to the corners and not wanting to drive out real good.  This was a pig that he'd been working with all summer so we couldn't blame the kid.  He just needed a little more 'smack power'  if you will.  He came back into the market class with a pipe and was able to get so much more out of that pig.  He went on to win Champion Market Pig with that cranky barrow..  I don't think he'd have gotten near the 'drive' out of him with the whip..  the pig was just too hot.    Now my son thinks the pipe is lucky and good luck to us to try to get him back on the whip next time!

 

[CAB]

The main thing is to have something that your pigs will respond to. Know how, where, and when to use whatever stick you choose to use. It mostly boils down to the work that gets done or not done @ home B4 you go to the showring.

 

[Jackson Meiers]

I start out with a pig pipe because its more assertive and they responded better when i trained them then switch over to whip for show

 

[Thompsonh]

Absolute hate canes.  They are bulky and are hard to maneuver quickly.  I am a big fan of whips as they are light and can quickly be moved to the other side of the hog.