AGHS Student Ashlyn Collins (‘26) has a responsibility to feed the many animals on her family’s farm before she leaves for school every morning. Collins works for her family’s business, Collins Show Pigs, where she raises showpigs and then sells them to other students. Students then raise the pigs for local county fairs and livestock shows such as the Santa Barbara County Fair and Cal Poly’s Western Bonanza.
Collins takes care of eight sows (mature, female pigs) and one boar, an intact male, as part of her family’s breeding operation. While they sell most of the offspring, they kept ten pigs this year for county fairs and jackpots, which are typically one-day livestock shows for youth. In addition to her pigs, she also has five cows, two donkeys, and two dogs that she is often in charge of feeding on a daily basis.
This year, Collins is raising both market and breeding swine for the fair, as well as a replacement heifer, which is a bred-young female that has not given birth, meant to replace an older cow on a cattle ranch.
Her dedication allowed her to win awards in the South Coast Region FFA Proficiency Competition this year; she received both Diversified Livestock Placement and Swine Production-Placement proficiencies.
Although Collins has attended jackpots and major shows like the Arizona National in the past, she hasn’t recently due to her other commitments.
“[I] do plan to attend some this year with pigs bred from our family operation, [though],” Collins said.
AGHS Teacher Lacee Holloway, one of Collins advisors, believes that she is one of the most dedicated students in the school’s FFA program.
“I can always count on her, and she never lets me down,” Holloway said. “She’s willing to take risks, try new things, and never gives up, no matter what.”
Next fall, Collins plans to attend Fresno State to major in animal science.
“I plan on being able to gain a better understanding by working as a veterinary technician, doing things like assisting vets in clinics,” Collins said. “Given my experience [with animals], I feel I am confident I will do good.”
