Crowning of King Hog kicks off Hog Days weekend

By Dave Clarke August 29, 2025

Brenna Dryer, of Carlock, Ill., is shown with her 295-pound crossbred which was the grand champion of the Hog Capital Barrow Show Wednesday evening at Black Hawk College East Campus. [Photo by Dave Clarke]

When the showing sawdust settled in Black Hawk East’s Ag Arena Wednesday night, Brenna Dryer’s 295-pound belted crossbred barrow was declared “King Hog” and grand champion at the 2025 Hog Capital Barrow Show.

The event kicks off the annual Hog Days Festival which takes place this weekend in Kewanee.

Kellan DeReu, of Atkinson, second row center, exhibited the reserve champion barrow. His father, Dustin, holds the feed pan for the photo. Show judge Kale Boysen stands in the back row center. Attending the show were 2025 Miss World Festival Queen Eva Ceja, of Kewanee (second row, third from the right), and her court, Whitney Minton, 1st Runner-up, and Kailey Smith, 2nd Runner-up; Junior Miss Sophia Sebben, 1st Runner-up Tinley Popken, and 2nd Runner-up Shae Robertson; Little Miss Charley Chandler, 1st Runner-up Mila Nolan, and 2nd Runner-up Stevie Moore; and Mini-Miss Talia DeReu, 1st Runner-up Everlyn Denneney, and 2nd Runner-up Harlyn Fobert. [Photo by Dave Clarke]

Ten-year-old Dryer, from Carlock, Ill., near Bloomington, is already a successful exhibitor in the junior livestock industry. According to information found online, Brenna exhibited the Grand Champion Market Hog at the 2025 American Royal Spring Livestock Show in Kansas City. Mo., and won multiple awards at the Team Purebred Junior National in June at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill. She has also been featured on Pig Planet, an online source for the show pig industry.

Show judge Kale Boysen, right, gives his reasons for placing one of the classes in the barrow show which was won by the show’s future champion, center, shown by Brenna Dryer. [Photo by Dave Clarke]

Klaire DeReu, 6, of Atkinson, guides her barrow around the show ring, [Photo by Dave Clarke]

Her entry in the Hog Capital Barrow Show placed fifth in its division at the State Fair earlier this month.

Reserve champion honors in this year’s Hog Capital Barrow Show went to Kellan DeReu, son of Dustin and Rachel DeReu, of Atkinson.

Judging this year was Kale Boysen, a member of the 2015 and 2016 livestock judging teams at BHE. He received his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and is now owner/operator of Boysen Showpigs in Columbus Junction, Iowa.

Members of the livestock judging team from Western Illinois University evaluate one of the classes in the Hog Capital Barrow Show as part of a road trip workout. [Photo by Dave Clarke]

Members of the Western Illinois University Livestock Judging Team traveled from Macomb for their annual workout at the Hog Days competition.