A record-breaking “World Series of Swine Shows” came to a close Wednesday afternoon on the Mower County Fairgrounds, leaving its impact on more than just hog breeders and farmers.

The 2009 Natonial Barrow Show held its final breeding show of the series Wednesday, attracting breeders, farmers, 4-H and FFA clubs as well as spectators to Austin from all over the country.

Auctioneers steadily whittled off bids up to $30,000 during the sale on Berkshire, Poland, Spot, Chester White, Yorkshire, Landrace, Duroc and Hampshire hogs.

The NBS, which ran Sept. 13-16, boasted a record number of entries. Sunday, there was a record number of junior entries and on Monday, more than 460 college, FFA and 4-H participants judged swine.

“We had about 100 more pigs entered than the past two years, and though we don’t monitor attendance we sense that it was up too,” said local NBS Committee chairman Joel Nelson.

First-timer Ed Heutinck of Lawton said, “It was a good time.”

He brought his 92-year-old friend, retired Poland breeder Lawrence Edwards, to watch the auction. Edwards used to sell boars himself at NBS, and said he has been coming to the show for more than 30 years.

Bill Range and his wife Jana are hog breeders who came to NBS from their home in southern Illinois. Bill judged two breeds and also brought four breeds to auction. “We’ve been coming here for 35 years,” Jana said.

“It’s our favorite show, and we really like coming to Austin,” Range said. “The people in town are really nice.”

Betty Olson of the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau said, “The swine show provides Austin a tremendous boost for the city economically.”

While exact figures were not available, Olson said, “Hotels are certainly busier, which creates business for restaurants and retailers.”

She said she would venture to presume that because of the additional pig entries, there would be more participants visiting the city, and thus this NBS may have created more business in Austin than in years past.

The four-day schedule began Sunday with the NBS Junior Showmanship Contest and NBS Junior Barrow Classic swine show in Crane Pavilion. Collegiate and 4-H/FFA judging contests followed on Monday along with open market and truckload shows. NBS breeding stock shows were Tuesday, Sept. 15; and the breeding sale was held on Wednesday.

The National Barrow Show is organized annually by the National Association of Swine Records, and is assisted locally by the Austin Area National Barrow Show Committee. That group is comprised of representatives from several organizations including the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce, Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau and Mower County Fair Board.