CASSOPOLIS — When the judge announced the winner, Brianna Stockwell threw her head back and looked up at the ceiling of the show arena before placing her forehead on the back of her pig for a few seconds.

The title of Grand Champion Market Hog wasn’t coming this year for the Dowagiac girl.

That prize went to Marcellus’ Courtney Hartline.

Stockwell, who has been showing pigs seven years, would have to settle for having the fair’s second best market hog, also known as reserved grand champion.

It’s her best finish at the fair and one she can be proud of.

“It was a little bit of sadness and super happiness all at once,” she said of coming so close.

Stockwell’s pig was named the fair’s best market gilt, or young female. It was then pitted against the top market barrow, or male, which was shown by Hartline.

The judge chose Hartline’s pig as the better animal.

“Honestly I was shocked at first because I thought Brianna Stockwell would get it. She had a great pig and has been showing so well,” Hartline said. “When he said the ‘with the barrow’ I almost started crying because I was so overwhelmed with emotion.”

Hartline said her older sister showed a grand champion hog a few years ago while her younger sister showed the grand champion barrow last year.

Courtney was the last to join the family in the winner’s circle.

“I’ve been like the bridesmaid never being the bride yet,” she said. “(My family) has helped me accomplish everything I’ve done at this fair. Without them I would be nowhere. It is a family effort for sure. We all walk the pigs together, we feed them together. It is day in and day out.”

Stockwell, who will be entering the seventh grade at Edwardsburg Middle School, is also showing steers, dairy feeders and rabbits.

Mackenzie Whitmyer had the reserve grand champion gilt and Zack Menck had the reserve grand champion barrow.