Although she is only a teenager, Karis Dadson is becoming the face of pig showing.
Karis has been going viral for her icy stare and iconic look while showing pigs at livestock competitions.
"When [my mom] started posting, I was like, 'It's fine, whatever'. Well, then the first one went big, and I was like, 'Oh, this is a one-time thing, it's never going to happen again. ' Then it kept happening," she said.
Karis settled her 270-pound pig, Rooftop, in its pen at the California Mid-State Fair on Sunday morning, getting ready for a week of weighing, auctions, and showing.
"[I'm] making sure that [for] everybody that's watching me, it's a good representation of the livestock industry," Karis said.
The teen’s “look” has caught the attention of millions on social media. However, she says that what many see as unusual feels normal to her.
"It's not necessarily unique because everybody kind of does, like, a different variation," she said. "They all have different styles. Some people are intense, some are more calm, but I would say that it went viral because nobody really knows about the livestock industry."
According to Karis’s father, Kyle, who is an agriculture teacher, showing animals has been part of their lives forever.
He said his wife went into labor with Karis and her twin brother while he was at a show.
"I hustled down there. I actually beat her to the hospital," he recalled. "They were born during the fair, and we've got pictures of their first birthday at King City Fair."
Karis keeps busy by going to several competitions throughout the state. But, as a local, she says the California Mid-State Fair holds a special place in her family's heart.
"It's definitely one of our favorite shows because it's only five minutes away from our house, and we can just, like, drive down. And everybody's local, so we know everyone, so it's definitely enjoyable," she said.
