This year's World Pork Expo as held on the 9th-12th June. So we flew out on the 7th June. Geoff Parker, Michelle McLoulin, Ian, Grace and myself flew from Manchester with Sarah Kiddy (acting as team leader) flying out from Heathrow with Alice Newth, Emma Long, Tomas Hopkin and Blenheim Becks. We all met up in Chicago and flew on to Des Moines in Iowa where Chris Jackson collected us from the airport.

The week went very quickly. All did well showing the American pigs and had some great comments from the judge.

The judging contest held on the Friday went really well with our team coming 7th which is a great achievement as they do things totally different from us and it is quite intense. The judges have given great reviews of our youngster saying what good reasons they gave and we should be very proud of them.

Saturday was auction day so we went back to have a look so we could see how different the American auctions are from ours and how everyone gets very excited. Top price for the Champion Berkshire Boar was a world record fetching $50,000.

Alongside the pork expo, the western riding competition was taking place and they had some very stunning horses which looked amazing. Chris Jackson wanted to have a go at western riding so Tom who we had met a few years ago managed to find one of the western people who were competing to let him use one of his horses. Hopefully Tom will send us some photos that he took.

Saturday afternoon Tom took us round one of his friend's stud/race yard which was amazing. Then we went to the races which is always good fun. Sunday we went to a shopping mall and then to a little town which had an antique and jamboree in the strets.

We had a great time and everyone got on well and worked together. So hopefully next year we will be able to take a team out to compete again. If anyone is interested in taking part please get in touch its great fun, you get to meet a lot of interesting people who make you feel very welcome and you learn a lot about the American pig industry and make a lot of new friends.

Tracey Bretherton