Carroll County Livestock Show

For Nella Forney, the 2025 Carroll County Fair hog show was an emotional experience.

The 17-year-old Alpena High School senior was participating for the final time, competing alongside her friends just as she has done for the past nine years.

Forney was just one of many youngsters who showed off their prize animals at this year’s fair. The livestock show is a staple in Carroll County, where agriculture is a way of life. It’s certainly been that way for Forney. Her parents, Lasea and Mike Forney, run a cow-calf operation, and her grandparents run a fifth-generation cattle farm in Boone County.

Both Lasea and Mike Forney participated in livestock shows for many years and Nella said “it was natural” for her to get involved at a young age.

Forney serves as president of Alpena’s FFA chapter — following in the footsteps of both her parents. But she brought something new to the family as well, when she chose to raise hogs.

“My mom and dad started out with cows, so definitely pigs was a new realm for them to do, but it’s been very helpful with them, especially them being in the ag world already,” she said. Forney typically begins each day in the pig barn.

“Washing, brushing, feeding,” she said. “I probably spend about five-plus hours a day with them. That’s morning and night. I probably start at 6 a.m. And then I have to go to school. At night we probably start at 7 and don’t finish until about 9.”

In addition to her responsibilities as FFA president, Forney also serves on the Alpena student council.

She became emotional when discussing her friends who also were involved with the hog show.

“Actually, the two young ladies that won this weekend — Brinkley Smith and Alyssa Woods — are some of the closest people,” she said. “I go to state with them, go to AYE (Arkansas Youth Expo). I go to national competitions with them. So we are together all the time.”

Forney credited her parents and others for helping her along the way.

“My mom and dad, they’ve done everything for me,” she said. “This is definitely an emotional year for me. My county fair family has been the most welcoming ever. My ag teacher, Amanda Woods, she’s awesome. Kristin and Clayton Whittmore, they’re the livestock fair board here. They do the pigs and I’m very thankful for them. I love my friends. I’m going to miss them, but it’s definitely been a good year.”