Landon Swartzentruber: Making a Change in an Industry That Needs To Open Their Eyes

Landon Swartzentruber, is the owner of OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK. He has grown up in the industry which has led him to see all that missing. For Landon what was missing was OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK.

“My name is Landon Swartzentruber. I’m 21 years old. I was born and raised in Greensburg, Indiana.”

Landon’s journey started at a very young age; his dad Trent Swartzentruber grew up on a commercial pig farm & showed at their local county fair for his ten years of 4-H. Which led to Landon starting showing as soon as he could.

“Ever since I was a little boy I could remember my dad wanted to get into the Showpig industry. We tried to raise the best for me & my siblings to show at county fair, jackpot shows, and national shows. So you could say the livestock industry has been with me ever since I was a little boy. It’s the only thing I know how to do and I try to be damn good at it!!”

Landon has been supported by his parents his whole life. Which is why he is where he is today.

“My mom & dad have supported me, worked day and night, to allow me and my siblings the opportunity to show livestock at the highest level possible all over the country.”

Landon knows that not very many kids in the world today get that. “Showing livestock is very very very expensive. Ask anyone that shows on a high level from state fair, jackpots, and national level. Just about everyone you ask will tell you the same thing.”

“That is why I started OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK!”

“Do you know why I love the livestock industry? It’s not for the banners or the glory or the fame. It’s because any kid from 11 – 18 in the world can do it. It doesn’t matter if you are black , white, short, skinny, have issues or not. It doesn’t matter as long as you have the people around you to be successful – sky’s the limit.”

Landon was tired of seeing the same family’s, and the same kids that had all the resources available to them win.

“I know they all work hard to get to where they are today. But think about all the kids that don’t have those resources: the money, the barn, the big trailer, the big truck – that would love to have the opportunity to show livestock. But most don’t have the opportunity or ability because they just have never been involved with it.”

One thing Landom loves about showing livestock instead of playing football or basketball or a school sport is it’s not based on your talent.

“Yes there is a certain level of talent but work ethic is what will determine if you have what it takes to win. I would not be the person I am today without showing livestock. True fact! Which is why OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK is just more than showing livestock. It’s about helping students become more successful in their life. From building a work ethic, the confidence to become successful, the ability to talk to people, and the ability to work with other people.”

OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK has changed Landon into the person he is today. He knows that not only has the program taught so much but he has learned the importance of discipline and professionalism.

“I have to think now of what I’m going to say and how I dress, even what I do on a day to day basis has changed. Because at the end of the day parents are giving me the opportunity to work with their child to give them an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Being a business owner comes with a little bit of good and a lot of bad. Landon has had to learn that the bad comes with the business. He has leaned heavily on many successful individuals in the industry. That has taught him – to be successful you must sacrifice time, money, hardwork, and sometimes sleep.

“As a new business & program owner the one thing I have learned from older individuals that have been very successful in their business is that you have to make hard sacrifices, to allow your dreams to come true. Yes I make it to birthday party’s & graduation party’s & family gatherings. But there are a lot of times I don’t. Because I’m building OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK to what it’s going to be in the future. From working with students, to traveling to look at Showpigs, going to shows, to being at our showbarn everyday to make sure the students & our livestock are well taken care of at the highest level possible. From being walked everyday, to being feeding, to washing, and making sure they are tanned and all the little details I do everyday. Because those little things matter so much. In any business or program if you want to be successful.”

For Landon his ultimate goal for OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK is to build a brand new facility within the next 4 years.

“I want to allow kids to show not just pigs, but cattle, goats, and sheep to the highest levels possible. I want to have more kids than I can count involved with OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK & I want them to get the opportunity to show livestock on a high level! There are so many kids today that don’t have a work ethic, or the ability to be successful, the ability to have the confidence to go do things, and the ability to have dreams and continue them – not just turn out on the first try. That is what I want to change!!”

“To give more kids more opportunities on a bigger picture.”

OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK started in August of 2025. Since then Landon will tell you it has not been perfect.

“When people start a new business they expect everything to be perfect, they expect to have the best of everything. Well that’s not the case. I started this program in my family showbarn. It has taken time, planning, connections to make a pipe dream into a reality. That is the path we currently are on now. Not everything is perfect and it won’t be for a while. There are a lot of times that it’s more difficult than what it needs to be. But when it’s difficult and you still find a way to make it happen, that’s what really tells you who you are.”

The OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK process for becoming a member is quite easy. Currently there is a limit of fifteen kids each year. This year they will host a camp to allow students to come to the facility for a few days. Landon will work with the kids on basic show animal care to dip their feet in the water.

“Starting this year we will have a camp to allow students to come out to our facility for a few days. Work with the students in our program on their day – to day tasks of walking, cleaning pens, washing, and feeding. To see if they would like to be a part of what OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK is about. After our camp we will sit down with each parent and child to discuss what the next steps are. To see if our program is the right fit for their family.”

“The program has changed in the best way it could have, for all the people involved. It’s only going to get better from here. Yes, there are ups and downs but we plan to make this possible for years to come for students.”

For Landon, his everyday life often feels like he is a chicken running with his head cut off. There is a lot going on each day at OPPORTUNATE LIVESTOCK.

“Making sure each student does each task to the best they possibly can. Making sure you show kids their issues and what they need to work on instead of just yelling and doing the job for them. It also teaches you as a teacher to be prepared and patient to make sure you get the best out of each kid each day. Yes there are going to be some bad days where you ask yourself if this kid even knows what they are doing. But the goal is to have more good days than bad.”

The process of training each year looks the same for Landon. It just defers slightly for each kid.

“With a new beginner it is all about taking 1 thing at a time, being consistent, and patient with those kids. To teach them the right way, not the wrong way. As the kids grow and have shown it gets easier and easier for each kid because they understand and they know my expectations of what should be done each day.”

OPPORTUNTE LIVESTOCK offers the kids the ability to show all year long.

“For me it doesn’t stop because I’m always trying to do more and make the best out of each situation and help these kids to the best of my ability. But for the summer the kids start in January coming to the barn. From January-April it’s all about training pigs. How to walk, be washed, and be brush broken. That is the hardest time of the year for these kids because the new students don’t fully understand until we do it time after time again. From April – August it’s about consistency from working with that animal everyday to being washed, walked, and tanned because it’s not going to do itself. The way our program works is the students put in the work and our program pays for about 80% of what it takes for them to show. So yes I do push these kids hard on a daily basis because I expect a lot out of them.”

For a young kid that wants to shoot big and dream big, Landon says,” Plan,Plan,Plan.”

“Talk to business owners/people that have been successful and then plan more and more. Then shoot for the stars.Not everything is going to be perfect!! But you have put in the work and time and now it’s time to make it happen. The first 3-6 years of your dream will be the hardest but after that it will all come together just how you imagined it would be.”