Winning Mindset

The final school bell rings, and they are out the door to make their way back home. They walk in the front door of their house, put on barn clothes and immediately head down to the barn to begin their evening routine.

This is a day in the life of swine showmen, Hagen and Sydney Cundiff. This brother and sister duo hail from Perkins, Oklahoma and have shown pigs for more than a decade.

Once the school day is over and they make their way to the show barn, the nearly two dozen pigs on feed are all walked, washed, brushed and fed. Hagen and Sydney spend hours with their show pigs everyday, all with hopes of winning and doing their best at shows around the state of Oklahoma; however, the siblings agree that nothing quite compares to the magic and competition of the Oklahoma Youth Expo.

Their family tradition began when Hagen was just two years old and took home his very first Duroc pig. Hagen has loved showing from the start, and it “started clicking” when he was just six years old. At nine years old he exhibited at his first “big show” where he started to understand showing pigs more.

“My goal was to continuously get better as I got older,” said Hagen Cundiff. “I really wanted to improve my showmanship.”

Now in eighth grade, Hagen’s goals are still the same. He is actively involved in his FFA chapter, as well as a football player and wrestler. Hagen aspires to join the dairy judging team this year and improve in both of his athletic ventures. But, in his mind, nothing comes close to his love for showing pigs.

“It’s difficult sometimes – you have to set time aside for both but I am confident showing will take me further in life,” Hagen said. “Pigs are my passion, so I’d choose showing over sports any day."

“I think what you do is important because it shows others that you can work,” he added. “There are some people who don’t know how to work as hard as you do, and that is what gets you ahead in life.”

Some of Hagen’s favorite successes have been in a show barn, including county fair grand champions and securing a spot in the annual Night of Stars Gilt Sale at the 2019 OYE. Time spent with family on road trips to jackpots, competing against his friends in the ring, and growing alongside his sister are a few of the more fond memories Hagen knows he will cherish forever.

“Working alongside my family is something I really appreciate,” Hagen said. “We operate as a team and work together, which I know will better prepare me for my future,” Hagen added. “I know my memories with them are some of the best of my life.”

For 10-year-old sister Sydney, time with family is the main draw to taking part in her family’s legacy of showing pigs.

“I really love spending time in the barn because it’s a lot of fun and allows me to spend time with my family,” Sydney said. “Hagen and I get the opportunity to do this together, and at the end of the day, we just want each other to win.”

Showing pigs has quickly become a passion of Sydney’s, and she is positive her dedication has a purpose. Sydney appreciates that she has learned to listen more, grow in humility, and become a better showman and leader all through her moments in the barn.

Whether it’s the high of making it to the Big Ring or the let down of not placing as high as she would like, Sydney is thankful for all of the time and lessons she has experienced in the barn.

“After it’s all said and done, you simply get better,” Sydney said. “Other people may think it’s weird, but I know it’s worth a lot to do it all. I believe that if you work hard you will win in some way, whether that’s in the ring with a ribbon or not.”

It’s the memories, lessons and opportunities like these that keep the Cundiff family coming back to OYE, and this year is certainly no exception.

At the 2021 OYE, Hagen says his ultimate goal is to secure himself a spot in the notorious Grand Drive Limo Ride. “I imagine myself getting into the limo, and it all hits me,” Hagen said. “The joy, the happiness, the sense of achievement. That is when success will hit–success for our whole family.”

Following their exhibition at The Greatest Show, Hagen and Sydney dream of travelling to their first national show outside of Oklahoma.

“We both want to get to know more people and build friendships,” Sydney said. “I would like to experience a new place, see what it’s like, and hopefully win some. Really, I just want to have fun.”

This year, the Cundiff siblings are ready to put in the work and make this OYE one to remember. “Whatever we do, we want to do the best we can,” Hagen said. “We want to win. We have that winning mentality. I am eager to see what all we can accomplish with good pigs, hard work and family.” – Written by Emile Mittlestaedt Learn more about Sydney and Hagen here!