Triplets in Fallbrook 4-H show pigs from same litter at county fair

The Fallbrook 4-H chapter has a set of triplets, and this year the Kendall brothers showed three pigs from the same litter at the San Diego County Fair.

Matthew, Zach, and Ryan (in order of their births) were born on June 27, 2002. Their 14th birthday was the entry date for the San Diego County Fair's junior livestock market show.

The Kendall triplets were born after 35 weeks gestation, which is considered full term for triplets. Caroline Kendall, who is 5'2", gave birth to the triplets at 7:59 a.m., 8:00 a.m., and 8:01 a.m. Matthew weighed 4 pounds 10 ounces, Zach was 5 pounds 2 ounces, and Ryan was born weighing 4 pounds 8 ounces.

The gestation of a pig is three months, three weeks, and three days. The Duroc Hampshire cross pigs the Kendall triplets showed at the San Diego County Fair were from a litter of 10 bred by Larry Morrison of Tarkio, Mo., and were born in December.

The Kendall family acquired them in March when they were three months old. Matthew named his male pig, who at 48 pounds was the smallest of the three, Fido. Zach named his female pig Hillary, who was 62 pounds when acquired. Ryan took over a female pig who weighed 58 pounds, and he called his pig Lindsay Lohan.

The minimum weight for swine to be eligible for the fair auction is 200 pounds. Fido weighed 204 pounds when brought to the fair scales. Hillary was the heaviest of the triplets' pigs at 228 pounds while Lindsay Lohan weighed 217 pounds.

Even if an animal does not place in its class it can be sold at auction if it is given a blue ribbon. Fido did not place, but Matthew was awarded a blue ribbon. Zach and Ryan settled for red ribbons, which meant that any transaction would occur through a barn sale.

Fido was purchased at the auction by Techfounder Consulting of Encinitas for $3.75 per pound. Hillary and Lindsay Lohan both sold for $3.25 per pound. Evan Brown is also in the Fallbrook 4-H pig group, and Hillary was purchased by the Brown family. Fallbrook resident Melissa Seymour, who purchased Ryan's pig in 2015, purchased Lindsay Lohan this year.

The pigs were fed regular pig feed and also ate fruits and vegetables left over from the Kendall family's meals. "I think the whole organic meat thing is so popular," Caroline Kendall said. "It was real easy to sell them."

All three of the Kendall triplets participated in the swine showmanship competition, although none of them placed. Last year, Matthew and Zach had pigs which received blue ribbons and were sold at auction while Ryan's pig received a red ribbon and was sold to Seymour through the barn sale.

The Kendall family has lived in Fallbrook for the past two years. They had previously spent a year in Spain on a missionary assignment and were in Gilbert, Ariz., prior to their time in Spain. The Kendall family currently attends North Coast Church in Fallbrook, and after leaving the county fair they returned to Spain for five weeks from July 6 through Aug. 10.

The Kendall triplets were in seventh grade at Potter Junior High School in 2015-16. This year, Ryan and Zach are at Potter as eighth graders while Matthew is going to Julian Charter school in Temecula for eighth grade.