Kalen Brattain is the 17-year-old son of Kent and Kim Brattain of Greencastle, Ind. He has two sisters. Katey is the oldest and is a sophomore at Purdue University and Kallie is the youngest in fifth grade. Kalen is a junior at Greencastle High School. Kalen has always lived on a farm and has been showing pigs since he was 6 years old when he started showing Tamworths for his Grandpa. Kalen enjoys working on the family farm. The operation is farrow-to-finish, specializing in breeding stock and show pigs. Kalen’s family farrows about 130 gilts and sows while also grain farming.
Kalen loves being a part of the NJSA. These past few years he has started to get more involved and says that he enjoys it a lot. Kalen’s favorite NJSA show is the National Junior Summer Spectacular in Louisville, Ky. This past year at the NJSS, Kalen was named the Intermediate Sweepstakes winner. He placed second in the skillathon and first in the judging contest.
“The judging contest is my favorite event at the Summer Spectacular because it is a challenge,” he said.
Kalen is also a member of the IJSC (Indiana Junior Swine Circuit) and enjoys showing swine throughout the Midwest.
In the future, Kalen plans to attend a junior college and judge livestock, and then transfer to a senior college like Purdue University or Oklahoma State University. He would like to continue to promote the value of purebreds. Kalen is still undecided on what he wants to do after he graduates from college, but he knows that he wants to do something with swine.
Kalen said “I would like to thank my family for all the support they have given to me. There are so many people who have taught me about the hog industry. The NJSA has been a great learning experience.”
Congratulations Kalen and good luck in the future!
Submitted by Katey Brattain, Central Region Director
