Lucky Penny

When found, it is believed to bring good fortune. A beautiful copper color, it’s shiny, shared by all, and best regarded when found heads up. These are all characteristics of a lucky penny. They are also all characteristics of the Lucky Penny, the third overall Duroc gilt at the 2022 Oklahoma Youth Expo.

Slightly different from most show gilts, Penny was shown by many and belonged to several children at the Tipton Children’s Home.

“Penny responded well with all of the kids from the start,” said Tipton FFA advisor, Tim White. “They all walked her, they all showed her. She was certainly their favorite.”

Bred by Ryan Bell of Ohio, Penny first came to Tipton, Oklahoma, when she was purchased by Tony Chitwood and Jason Milner. Since her arrival, several children have built relationships with her and benefitted from life lessons gained in the showbarn, White said. One particular teen who forged a special relationship with Penny is 16-year-old, Caroline Gaye.

Originally from a non-agriculture background, Gaye is a resident of the Tipton Children’s Home who has been showing pigs for the last two and a half years.

“What got me interested in showing in the first place is the people around me, the older kids in my town,” Gaye said. “I saw how happy they are and how responsible it made them. I just wanted to take that on because I wanted to show that I could be responsible and be happy the same way they are,” Gaye added.

Before stepping into the pig ring, Gaye first showed other species of livestock. She began her journey in the livestock industry with a dairy heifer and also had a set of broilers, which she exhibited at the Tulsa State Fair. However, Gaye said nothing captured her heart or interest quite like show pigs.

“Caroline is very blessed to have a mentor out there named Tony Chitwood, who oversees the animal program at Tipton Children’s Home,” White said. “He does an excellent job, and he gets all of the kids involved in the chickens first, then a swine project next, if possible.”

The 2022 swine projects for residents of the Tipton Children’s Home included a Yorkshire barrow, Chester barrow, two Spot barrows, and Penny the Duroc gilt.

Gaye said she views the boys and girls of the Tipton Children’s Home as her family, and together she and her siblings first began showing Penny at local shows and jackpots around Oklahoma. They also showed her at the Tillman County Fair and, finally, the Oklahoma Youth Expo in March 2022.

“My brother, Derek, showed Penny a lot during spring show season at jackpots, the county show and other local shows,” Gaye said. “He did so great with her. It’s awesome because he has been looking up to me, I have been helping him, and Penny has been great,” she added with a smile.

Gaye said prior to their “big show” at OYE, a lot of hard work went into getting Penny ready to show and look the best she could.

“The work ethic that’s been gained is apparent,” White said. “From waking up early to feed and water, to exercising multiple times a day, and all of the responsibilities that go along with being responsible for a livestock project, they’ve all put in the work.

“It has been a natural tool to raise these tightknit children,” White added. “It’s a perfect fit for the Tipton Children’s Home.”

As show day at OYE approached, Gaye said her goals were to get everything shown well and to simply do her best, because it was the opportunity to show the pigs that mattered most.

On March 11, 2022, Caroline showed Penny in class 6 of the Duroc gilts where she placed first and eventually won the title of third overall Duroc gilt.

“Last year I got to the big ring, but I didn’t catch a pen,” Gaye said. “So, what I wanted for this year was to catch a pen, and when I finally did it, I was surprised and happy because I didn’t know I could do it,” Gaye said with a smile.

Following her success in the OYE Gilt Show, Gaye secured the 46th slot in the annual OYE Night of Stars Gilt Sale.

Gaye said her hopes were to get a high bid but, most of all, for Penny to “go to a good place where she gets to breed and have little Pennys.”

That night, Penny sold for $17,000 and helped contribute to one of the largest crowds the sale has ever had.

Penny sold for $17,000 in the 2022 OYE Night of Stars Gilt Sale

“It’s a really good opportunity to be in the Night of Stars sale,” Gaye said. “It shows that I can do it, even if I don’t do it next year. It also shows the little ones out there that you can do it too, even if you don’t make it the first or second time. You can still get it done.”

Gaye and White both agreed many lessons were learned from this experience, namely the personal improvement and victory this brought to not just Gaye, but all of the children who are part of the Tipton Children’s Home family.

“I think it’s great for Caroline to see the growth that has occurred in herself and the confidence she has gained,” White said. “As the community goes, there are a lot of selfless and helpful people who were key elements in her story – the list goes on and on of those who dedicated their time, energy, and money to see kids like her succeed.”

Penny, the Duroc Gilt, taught many children at the Tipton Children's Home the value of hard work.

White also extended special thanks to the swine breeders across the nation who work to provide quality, reasonably-priced showpigs to kids who are willing to work hard.

“We are really fortunate to have breeders across the country who are willing to send down a $300 pig, add $179 shipping, keeping the total price under $500,” White said. “We’ve got to see more of that in this industry, more opportunities like this.

“This is a great story because every kid deserves the same responsibility skills that this student learned. Instead of being narrower and more exclusive at the top, we need to be more open, because every kid needs this.”

Caroline has plans to exhibit pigs at the 2023 Oklahoma Youth Expo and later attend college with goals of becoming a Registered Nurse.

Gaye said she has enjoyed all she has learned throughout her time in the barn, and she is excited for her final year of showing this spring.

Today, Gaye is a junior at Tipton High School where she is actively involved in her FFA chapter and serves in multiple leadership roles. Gaye said she has goals of attending college to become a registered nurse after high school and transferring the skills she has learned in agriculture over to the medical field.

It goes without saying that Gaye’s lucky Penny was heads up, bringing happiness and love to all who encountered her. Together this duo proved that with hard work, belief, and a little luck, there is no limit to how far you can go.

– Written by Emile Mittelstaedt